Released Date : 24 Aug, 2023
Avg. User's Rating : 4.0/5
Story: Kotha is a crime-ridden bad land, ruled by Kanan Bhai (Shabir Kallarakkal) and his K-Team. But when things get out of hand, it's time for the Ozzy King of Kotar to return and set things right.
Review: Raju (Dulquer Salmaan) and Kanan are childhood friends, who would kill for each other. They are young, reckless and the undisputed rulers of the 1980s. However, unlike other gangsters, these guys and their gangs will not deal in drugs. But as all good things must come to an end, so too does their brotherly bond after the sudden betrayal of one of them. It also has something to do with the entry of Raju's lady love Tara (Aishwarya Lakshmi). Things get pretty messy and bloody, as the two friends turn against each other and nowhere is the same.
It's a textbook gangster story that rules the screenplay, with plenty of gore and brutal action. Director Abhilash Joshi and Abhilash N. Chandran ensures that their narrative is full of twists, turns and relentless battles. All the action takes place in a decidedly retro setting (by art director Manoj Arakkal) in the fictional city of Kheer and is brought to life by Nimish Ravi's visually stunning cinematography. Add to that, a great background score by Jakes Bejoy is the icing on the cake. Obviously, it's more about optics and immersive experience than anything else.
The story itself is predictable in parts but the fabric of friendship, love and betrayal is inextricably intertwined. The film's biggest flaw is its sluggish pace. It starts slow and takes some time to find its rhythm until Dulquer Salmaan's dramatic entry. A tighter edit would have gone a long way to make this sprawling gangster thriller more enjoyable.
Dulquer Salmaan packs a punch in a completely different avatar from his previous outings. The young actor exhibits the required intensity and depth in his character, who is literally a force of nature. Shabir Kallarakkal is equally impressive as a powerful villain. The chemistry between the two actors energizes the narrative. Aishwarya Lakshmi, Gokul Suresh as the reliable Tony, Prasanna as the scheming IPS officer Shahul Haasan and Naila Usha as the venomous Manju provide competent support.
Overall, 'King of Where' suffers from the same old problem of not knowing how much is too much. Short of becoming a cult gangster classic, it has mass appeal and the ability to hold its audience captive for a long time. It doesn't know when to stop.
