‘King of Kotha’ Review: Dulquer balances classy action and mass appeal in this tale of friendship, vendetta

In Kotha, the rules are defined by Kannan (Shabeer Kallarakkal) and his gang. When a newly appointed police officer, Shahul Hassan (Prasanna), takes charge of the place, he is determined to bring Kannan to heel. To achieve this, he sets out to bring Kannan’s old friend-turned-foe and notorious gangster Raju (Dulquer Salmaan) back to Kotha, a place he once ruled over.

With ‘King of Kotha,’ Abhilash Joshiy has shown he is quite capable of handling action without compromising too much on quality content, almost like his father and veteran director Joshiy. ‘King of Kotha’ is not just a mass flick, but a film that does have an interesting storyline, just as Dulquer Salmaan claimed in his recent interviews. Friendship, romance, deceit, and vendetta make up most of the film’s plot.

highlight is Raju and Kannan’s relationship. While ‘King of Kotha’ is every bit Dulquer Salmaan’s movie, Shabeer Kallarrakkal also owns the film in his own way, breezing through the scenes with his swagger. Is he a friend or foe or both? His complex character arc is also the highlight of the film.

Chemban Vinod’s performances as Renjith will be remembered for a long time, as he delivers some of the best comic dialogues in the film. His dialogue delivery in English and his confrontations with Raju evoke genuine laughter. Prasanna, Nyla Usha, Anikha Surendran, and Gokul Suresh all perform excellently in the film. Aishwarya Lekshmi is satisfying to watch as Raju’s girlfriend, Thara, but she has little to do except be, well, Raju’s girlfriend.

Dulquer Salmaan excels in the action scenes. His look, though rugged in the movie, is alluring. Most of his dialogues are written for his fans, but his character arc too is interesting. He shines as a lover, doting brother, and a loyal friend.

Though the film gets a little predictable towards the end, the filmmakers have tried to steer clear from sticking to the old formula of mass action films. The songs and background score by Jakes Bejoy, the visuals by Nimish Ravi and the style of making have helped elevate the film, so it appeals to a pan-Indian audience.