User reviews

The vintage Kerala is something we watch every two or three years in Malayalam industry. This latest outing was in a better budget and resulting in a wide canvas and very promising visual effects. Nivin Pauly did a decent job as Kochunni. He has put in his best. Mohanlal as Ithirkarapakki was electric. His presence made the movie alive. The writing could have made better. Overall a decent movie.

Worth watching, and a throughout entertainer film. Great work done by Rosshan Andrrews and team! Nivin Pauly and Laletan, awesome!

One thing that I like to do while watching a period film like this is to detect any anachronistic elements that the makers might have committed. It's not about finding faults per se, but to see how committed the research team was in recreating the period, which has a direct impact on the quality of the film. After watching it on the big screen, I can attest that Rosshan Andrrews's historical drama, Kayamkulam Kochunni, based on the eponymous real-life person, is a true and well-written homage to both the person as well as the original comic. The talented Nivin Pauly, although slightly out of place here, plays the character with so much effort that sometimes he did drift into a 'strained' territory (especially during stunt sequences). Both Kayamkulam Kochunni and his film are entertaining, thanks to Andrrews formulaic approach to storytelling where one thing leads to another, pure cinematic style. Mohanlal's cameo is probably the most exciting one in the history of Malayalam cinema, but I would blame the makers for glorifying it to an extent that I detected the film deviating from its main agenda. It is suspenseful, has enough doses of romance and adventure for the audience at large, and has been made with the right use of its mega-budget. If only the climax was realistic and they did away with the only sore element in the film - the item song featuring Nora Fatehi - then Kayamkulam Kochunni the film would have been a perfect entertainer of modern times. The themes of caste discrimination and the non-parity between the rich and the poor that reflects the current times upset me, but the film comes around with a ray of hope that there's people who go against the grain for the greater good. And that's what matters. It's a good watch and one that goes for essential viewing. TN.

It's an another 100 crore club movie in malayalam. a superb historical entertainment!!

The movie is a superb one go for it for entertainment good diriction good acting good script no lag of the movie One of the epic movie of malayalam the climax whould have been more intersting if ithikara pakki had been in climax

Excellent movie ever can see in mollywood Best performance from Nivin Pauly

The first half of the movie includes the childhood and adolescence and romance of Kochunni. In the first half Director and writers strived hard to justify the circumstances how Kochunni became a thug. The first half of the movie is in a slow pace. The movie take off by the powerful interval punch featuring the introduction of Ithikkara Paki. Next 20 minutes you see the daring performance of Paki and further shaping of Kochunni and the influence of Paki on Kochunni. The movie slowed down after the departure of Paki. The later second half includes betrayal of Kochunni by his first love and his capture and finally his adventurous escapes from the prison which is distortion of a historical fact.

Unfortunately the script was pretty underdeveloped, the makers didn't know how to make the movie interesting beyond the robbery of Kochunni. Performance -wise star of the movie is Mohanlal. Navin was just ok, in some of the combination scenes with Mohanlal he was perplexed and confused. Comedy by the Jude Anthany was good. One memorable seen was Sudev Nair as Swathi Thirunal. Performance of Babu Antony was good and that of Sunny Wayne is average. Music department was below average including one unnecessary item song. Art direction I felt very mediocre, and unnatural. Action scenes was okay. The photography was above average by the Binodh.

It is just a one-time watchable movie on a big screen. Other than that the movie failed to deliver the sky-high expectations from a promising cast and crew.

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.

Kidu film dont miss it....Pakki and kochunni kidu....

Average movie, Nevin & Mohanlal they did their job perfectly as always

Average movie.. 1st half try to build the evolution of kochunni To Kayakulam Kochunni.. But it fails in second half.. But the hype is real for Pakki.. Pakki is rhe only highlight in the movie

Wow, felt like we lived 3 hours in 1830. Well done.

Kayamkulam Kochunni Review: Riding on monumental expectations and hype, Kayamkulam Kochunni has landed amidst viewers who have grown up hearing tales about him at bedtime and watching series about him. This time, the makers couldn't afford to compromise on the research or execution, with the kind of scale and star cast with which his life story was attempted to be narrated on the big screen. As you leave the movie hall after the 2 hour 50 minute long film, you can't but credit the creators of Kochunni, for making a movie in which the content and presentation have been beautifully married to each other.

I used to like Nivin Pauly movies like bangalore days or Premam. After this he started acting movies which is way above his acting meter. I felt he was the odd one out. Lalettan was at his best. Altogether movie could be a lot better. I guess Prithviraj would be an amazing choice.

Good Storyline and Excellent narration! Casting is superb! Priya Anand is so beautiful in yesteryears look! Nivin, Babu Antony and Mohanlal acting is superior.

Kayamkulam Kochunni is undeniably one of the most captivating period drama among Malayalam movies. Nivin Pauly has more than done justice to the titular character. The cinematographers and art directors have indeed presented us with what is a masterfully crafted epic. The music and bgm has only enhanced the essence of the movie. Babu Antony is nothing but a marvel as the austere mentor, Thangal. In short, this half fictional- half historical movie is totally worth the money spent!

What to expect from the movie: A lauded tale of the regional Robinhood (with some clear variations to accommodate the audience) -- a then-typical love; a visual treat that takes you to the 1800's all through the two and a half hours and much of phenomenal swashbuckling. What could've been avoided: The hype for Ithikkara Pakki. There has been too much of a hype for a character other than the main protagonist. IMO, the role of Ithikkara Pakki could be justified even if anyone other than the Big M had played it. (Completely a personal opinion)

A totally disappointing movie with the use of Nivin Pauly as Kochunni. Though he has not the potential to do such kind of big character along with pakki also disappointing. The BGMs are good. The direction of Roshan Andrews is also a disaster.

Padam kidu pakki vere level...9/10rating nivin pwli

Jst wow... About nivin... Mohanlal...& all...Team... Dedicated versions of nivin after second half... & first half

Niczz film..best casting.... highly entertaining..

The film based on the legendary hero, Kayamkulam Kochunni (Nivin Pauly) - God's own country's Robin Hood - did raise some expectation as a period epic. But alas, it has landed as a damp squib. What else could we hope for: with an average script with predictable dialogues; or a loud and unimaginative background score by Gopi Sundar (which also plagiarises on the theme song from 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' whenever Ithikkara Pakki (Mohanlal) arrives with a gun in hand); or a flat direction that doesn't rise above the level of news reporting; or performances that are totally forgettable? A few British soldiers, patriarchs and the consequent underdogs, all stereo-cast enter and exit when there's a remission in fight scenes. There's no emotion, valour or humour lost between the film sequences, rendering the film an insipid watch. Watch if you have little else to do.

Great Movie.... Brilliant Script...💖 Nivin💖 Laletta. 💖💖💖💖💖