Kotee Movie Review : Kotee review: Slow, steady, and wins the race

Plot: An honest, lower middle-class man, Kotee (Dhananjaya), is pushed to his limits by a local thug, Dinoo Savkaar (Ramesh Indira). Can Savkaar break him?

Review: Kotee (Dhananjaya), is an honest, lower middle-class man. His family consists of mother (Tara Anooradha), sister Mahati (Thanuja Venkatesh), and brother Nachchi (Pruthvi Shamanur). Kotee lives in a fictional Janata City, run by a thug, Dinoo Savkaar (Ramesh Indira). To eke out a living, he runs a small packers and movers business and doubles as a cab driver. Despite having to work multiple shifts, Kotee is against taking loans. But, unforeseen circumstances, some created by Savkaar himself, force Kotee to take multiple loans, worth INR 31 lakh, from the former. Saavkaar, who happens to have chanced upon Kotee’s shooting skills, wants him to take up a crooked project, which goes against the latter’s belief system. When push comes shove, will Kotee change his belief system, or does he fight back?

Dhananjaya is in his element. He is flawless as Kotee - be it being a responsible son or enduring emotional labour from Savkaar, Dhananjaya aces it with his brilliant acting skills. Ramesh Indira, who was a revelation in last year’s Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, continues to show off his fabulous performance as a conniving, scheming villain. In fact, he adds a lot of life to this film, which seems slow and dragged in places. The movie has a few character detailings that are very heartwarming, like Tara’s hearing problem for instance. Small quirks sure leave a big impact, a handiwork of debutant director Parameshwar Gundkal, which he seems to have picked up from his stint on the small screen. Moksha Kushal shows promise, but her character deserved more finesse. Also, it’s a treat to watch Rangayana Raghu in his villain avatar, albeit in a small role. A special cameo is sure to take the audience by surprise, but it somehow misses much emotional depth.

The first half of the film establishes characters and their quirks and it takes off well in the second half. Technically, the film’s writing is up to the mark, but slow presentation and a couple of repeat sequences tests audiences’ patience. Nobin Paul’s background follows the template, but Vasuki Vaibhav’s song Maathu Sothu stands out. Parameshwara Gundkal has created a city, which feels like a character itself in the film. A ‘heist in hulivesha’ pre-climax balances the roller-coaster of a drama that Kotee is. That said, constant ‘slapfest’ throughout the film is a bit of an overkill!

For a generation that grew up watching melodrama on the small screen, Parameshwara Gundkal serves it on a platter on the silver screen. But the movie is more than just a melodrama, and has multiple moments that stay with you. At almost three hours, the run time is a bit excessive but the tug-of-war between Dhananjaya and Ramesh Indira makes this slow-burner a perfect family entertainer to watch in theatres this weekend.