Review: Komban is a tedious watch

Director M Muthaiah's Komban is an over-the-top rural-based film with too much violence, says S Saraswathi

Director M Muthaiah's Kutti Puli received a lot of flak for its excessive violence, but was one of the biggest hits of the year.

It’s not surprising then that the director has followed the same template for his next film, Komban. 

The film is produced by K E Gnanavel Raja of Studio Green.

Karthi and Lakshmi Menon play the lead roles. Rajkiran, Thambi Ramaiah and Kovai Sarala have significant roles.

The film caused an uproar among Dalit groups, who alleged that it contained remarks degrading to a particular community.

The plot centres on the violent rivalry among three villages, Vellanadu, Arasanadu and Semmanadu. Each wants to have its own man as the elected head.

Komban (Karthi) is an aggressive, short-tempered youngster from Arasanadu, who effortlessly sends bad guys flying into the air at every opportunity.

Director Muthaiah ensures that he has plenty of opportunity to showcase his indefatigable energy. 

Pazhani (Lakshmi Menon) is the daughter of the pious and righteous Muthaiah (Rajkiran).

Though not very happy with Komban's short fuse, Muthaiah is impressed with his noble heart and agrees to give him his daughter in marriage.

As the elections draw closer, Komban is sucked deeper into the bloody political mess. 

He begins to resent his father-in-law, who he believes is trying to instigate his daughter into questioning his lawless ways. 

The film moves briskly. Every action sequence is dramatic, with loud, pulsating music and the furious indestructible Komban on a wild rampage. 

The National award-winning Thambi Ramaiah is in his element providing the much-needed comic relief.

Kovai Sarala as Komban's frustrated and extremely vocal mother makes a welcome change from the over-sentimental mother figures Tamil cinema is so fond of.

The sincere Rajkiran is well cast, but Karunas is wasted in a pointless role. 

Karthi gives a good performance, but definitely not in the league of Paruthiveeran, which was also set in a rural milieu. 

Though her roles feel repetitive, Lakshmi Menon gives a commendable performance. 

The film delves into many relationships - mother-son, father-daughter, husband-wife - but lays emphasis on the complex relationship between fathers and sons-in-law, a relationship that is seldom explored. 

The songs are pleasant, and G V Prakash also scores on the BGM. 

But the never-ending violence and the one-man army that is Karthi get extremely tedious.

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