Kayamkulam Kochunni (2018 film)
Kayamkulam Kochunni is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language epic period film directed by Rosshan Andrrews and written by Bobby & Sanjay. It is based on the life of Kayamkulam Kochunni, a famed highwayman who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor during the British Raj in the early 19th century Central Travancore. The film stars Nivin Pauly in the title role; Mohanlal makes a cameo appearance as highwayman Ithikkara Pakki.
Principal photography commenced on 30 September 2017 in Udupi, Karnataka and was completed on 1 June 2018. Made on a budget of ₹45 crore, it was the most expensive Malayalam film made until then. The film released on 11 October 2018 met with a positive critical response and was well received at the box office, becoming the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of that time. It is currently the third highest-grossing Malayalam film.
At the start, a messenger tells the people of Kayamkulam that Kayamkulam Kochunni, a famed Mappila highwayman of the area, will be executed by hanging. The story then moves into a flashback.
Baputty, Kochunni’s father, is a small-time poor thief who struggles to look after his family. One time he gets caught and is humiliated by the local Brahmins in front of Kochunni, who was a young boy at the time. His mother, not wanting him to grow up in abject poverty and suffering the same fate as his father, persuades him to leave home, so Kochunni leaves. He ends up in the house of a local Brahmin landlord and works as an employee in one of the landlord’s shops.
The film fast-forwards and Kochunni (Nivin Pauly) is now an adult. During his time there, Kochunni sees Janaki (Priya Anand), a Hindu girl who is a servant, and falls in love with her, also learning from her that Thangal (Babu Antony), a state-renowned (Kalari) master, has opened a school to train students in the art. After jumping into a well and wrestling with a large python to rescue a boy, he’s awarded a medal of bravery by the local British officer and makes a wish that he wants to join in with the dance and celebrations in their local British fort, which the officer grants.
Kochunni goes to the school but is turned away by Thangal on the basis that, like his father, he might become an even bigger thief by learning the martial art. Janaki also confesses her love for him, and with her help, he learns it by sitting and watching the training on a tree next to the school. However, one day he gets caught by Thangal and he tests Kochunni by making him fight the best student at the school, Thananayik Keshava Kurup (Sunny Wayne), which Kochunni wins. Thangal has a change of heart and promises to teach him believing that one day Kochunni will become his successor. Seeing this, Keshava gets angry and leaves the school, threatening Kochunni that they’ll meet one day and he will get his revenge.
