Kayamkulam Kochunni Review

Amidst tremendous hype, the Rosshan Andrrews directorial Kayamkulam Kochunni has hit screens today. Nivin Pauly plays the titular role in this movie, while superstar Mohanlal is there in an extended cameo as Ithikkara Pakki. The writer duo of Bobby-Sanjay has scripted this movie.

As publicized by the makers, Kayamkulam Kochunni is not a biopic of the legendary highwayman. It is the fictionalized version of Kochunni’s life. It chronicles the events that force him to become a robber. Bobby and Sanjay have adapted the story from Kottarathil Sankunni’s Aithihyamala and given their own interpretations to it. Too many cinematic liberties are there in the film, which will be disappointing to those who expect a real historic drama.

Nivin Pauly has tried his best to give life to Kochunni, but the larger-than-image nature of the character is too big for a limited actor like him. He is very stiff and lacked the flexibility of someone who are trained in kalaripayattu. Same is the case with Sunny Wayne, who plays the typical jealous guy. Babu Antony gets a meaty role and he has played his part well. Priya Anand and Manikandan Achari were the other notable performers.

Prior to the release, the main attraction of the movie was Mohanlal’s character, Ithikkara Pakki. And one can say easily say that his portions are the best in the entire 170-odd-minute film. He makes an appearance at a very crucial juncture in the film. He suited the role perfectly as the it demanded someone of his stature. As the menacing Pakki, his screen presence is terrific.

Technically, Kayamkulam Kochunni is a top work with Binod Pradhan’s frames that displayed the grandeur in making. Since it is a period film, the movie has lot of VFX works. While Gopi Sunder’s songs fail to impress, his background score is adequate. Sound design by PM designer capture the mood of the movie and setting perfectly.

Overall, Kayamkulam Kochunni is a very interesting film with lot of efforts taken by the team. It is a brave attempt that deserves a theatrical watch.