Kooman Review: Jeethu Joseph’s flair for thrillers in play, Asif Ali emerges

Jeethu Joseph has reiterated his credentials as a master of the thriller genre. His latest outing, Asif Ali-starrer Kooman, grips the audience with several unpredictable twists and turns. Without any introductory scenic shots, Jeethu takes us to Nedumbara, a small village on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, to pan the backdrop of the plot.

Jeethu also offers a peek into the protagonist Giri Shankar's expertise in solving crimes.

Police constable Giri is not a popular figure among his colleagues and villagers, despite being a native of Nedumbara and having been in the same station for years. He is also being ridiculed for taking extra interest in solving disputes and cases in his station. It does not take the director much time to reveal Giri's vengeful personality, who waits for the opportune moment to pay back those who hurt his ego.

In spite of paying heed to his mentor CI Somasekharan Pillai's advice to control his temper, Giri finds an enigmatic pleasure in seeking revenge on people who teased him.

His life takes an unusual turn when CI Harilal, played by Baburaj, takes charge in his station, replacing Renji Panicker's character CI Somasekharan Pillai. A public confrontation with a foe makes Giri a laughing stock in the village. Subsequently, he seeks help from an unlikely ally to retaliate against CI Hari and others.

The first half of the film revolves around how Giri strives to seek revenge in a witty yet crooked manner and how a 'wrong decision' that was born out of vengeance changes the course of Giri’s life.

However after the interval, Jeethu takes the film to the next level by engaging Giri in an ‘unofficial’ investigation on a series of ‘suicide-like murders’ in his village in Nedumbara and neighbouring villages, distracting Giri from his guilt over something he did to seek revenge.

Jeethu Joseph, whose flair for investigative thrillers is acclaimed, does not fail to surprise his audience or give them a chance to predict the 'suspense' in between the film. His brilliance in including an in-depth reference to a recent sensational case in the storyline deserves an applause.

Asif Ali as Giri delivers a stellar performance, convincingly depicting the vulnerability of someone suffering from a personality disorder. He does well in enacting the struggle to overcome his flaws. The supporting characters played by Renji Panicker, Meghanathan and Baburaj add pace to the storyline.

Jaffer Idukki has come up with a notable performance, infusing a Ripper Ravi (played by Indrans in Anjaam Pathiraa) vibe among audience, while Jaffer's character explains about the wicked joy in burgling.

Darvinte Parinamam-fame Hannah Reji Koshy plays the female lead in the film. K R Krishna Kumar has written the screenplay for 'Kooman', produced by Listin Stephen and Allwin Antony.