This review is going to be long, untidy and absolutely rigorous. Because an effort massive as this should not be degraded without a well written explanation as to why it's bad/good. And partially because this film had such a wide release, an unbelievably humongous budget and a need to satisfy all types of viewers. I understand all this. I almost sympathize with the crew because they wanted the film to be like this, even though they could've done a lot better. Deep within, even Roshan Andrews might have felt a little guilty.
Kayamkulam Kochunni begins on a note of despair. The lead is getting his verdict of his life, there is much commotion to the life of Kochunni and there is a ample yet a good build up to what i expected to be a decade defining film. Expected. I was wrong to do that. I shouldn't have. I really shouldn't have had that much expectation within the film's start. Bear that in mind while i go in depth to the film.
The film thrives on something that normally no film normally would. That is, folklore. Kochunni is so a memorable character that has touched us through the years, in TV, in movies and of course through stories. To market on that is a very, very simple task. Gokulam Gopalan deserves a high five for that alone. The film as so many things wrong and so little things right. The film has a very good quality of making, something that is very common around malayalam films these days. A distinguishable sense of ambition, an excellent DOP and a skilled cast. Where it goes wrong, is the rest. Nivin did a decent job. Mohanlal stole his thunder and kept that until he left. Ithikkara Pakki might be a great character and Mohanlal did do justice in that regard, but as the film goes, Nivin Pauly's Kochunni is still the limelight of the film.
The film has a song so misplaced that you would wonder how the heck it got there in the first place. Forgettable character include all of Kochunni's romantic tales (avoided, it could've have been), the songs could have been toned down to suit the theme of the situation and the wish that Kochunni could have been a massive cult hit but instead a messy and lackluster piece of BO hungry film.
Kayamkulam Kochunni could have been so, so much more. It really could've been. Under Roshan, it should've been better. But hey, it doesn't bore you to death and it doesn't compromise on the audience factor either.
Kudos on the crew for making yet another successful BO venture, meh for making such a memorable character a forgettable one.
