Muthaiah's debut Kutti Puli did not win many favourable reviews. But the film did seem to work at the box office which is what would have actually mattered to the makers. So one would guess the director does not really have to move away from his home-ground, more-so when he has an established and saleable actor at the forefront.

Plot:

The film is precisely what you would expect it to be with a title like Komban. A ruffian with a heart of gold who cannot stand injustice. You are all too familiar with this template right?

Cast:

Karthi with his well built frame and twirling moustache is convincing as the rustic youth and it does not look odd when he lands those heavy punches. Komban works to a major extent due to his screen presence. You know that Rajkiran would never disappoint and that trust holds true in Komban too. But his character is highly uneven and his potential seems underutilized to a large extent in the film. Looks like Lakshmi Menon can now play the role of a village belle even in her sleep and you probably understand why she gave those interviews about being typecast. Kovai Sarala in a welcome serious role is impressive.

Crew:

Velraj's cinematography is an highlight especially in the stunt sequences. These are days when you immediately laugh when an henchmen disobeys the laws of gravity at the order of the hands and legs of the hero. Somehow things are under control in Komban despite the overly dramatic stunt sequences. The stunt master,cinematographer and music director in unison have managed to achieve this. The film overall has a definite slick look to it.

Direction:

The film is just disguised as a bonding between the hero and his father in law. It is the routine bloodshed drama where the hero safeguards his family. Towards the end of the first half there is this portion which deals with the uneasy relationship between Karthi and Rajkiran. But this thread only works like a filler and an excuse to unleash more action towards the end. The film despite being predictable in the initial hour did have a certain tension thanks to the heroism that sat well on Karthi and the villains who looked deadly. The emotional portion after this too worked well despite the ambiguity in the characterisation of the principal characters. But after the battle lines are drawn, the clash between the hero and villain fizzles out because the all powerful villain now becomes so weak that the maximum he achieves is a couple of blows on the hero. Even if this can be ignored, that he is unable to contain with Rajkiran and even Lakshmi Menon makes it all the more puerile. That the hero can single handedly wipe out his opponents by his sheer brawn is established right at the beginning. And this is what he does in the climax too and you wonder what all the fuss was in between. But what works for Komban is that things keep moving at a good pace and the film has just about the right running time.

Bottomline:

If brawn power is enough to keep you happy, Komban has it in abundance. Do not ask for more!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

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