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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ronth: Bleak Malayalam gem burns Bollywood at the stake with its harrowing and haunting final 20 minutes
In a recent interview, Arshad Warsi — the star of Dhamaal, Krazzy 4, and Golmaal: Fun Unlimited — ate a bunch of yakitori and decided that he must take pot-shots at Satyajit Ray. Mocking the sort of movies in which characters spend 15 minutes walking up a staircase, Warsi joked that they could simply announce the characters' arrival at his or her destination, and save precious time. He'd probably hate the new Malayalam-language film Ronth, a slow-burn thriller if there ever was one. The movie understands a key aspect of storytelling: sometimes, it's not about the destination, it's about the 15-minute journey up a flight of stairs. A much-needed return to form for writer-director Shahi Kabir, who penned the brilliant Nayattu but also the unbearable Officer on Duty, Ronth follows two cops — it's a traditional veteran-rookie partnership in the vein of Training Day and Se7en — on an increasingly intense night shift in the Kerala countryside. They respond to calls, trace a missing girl, and even have a brush with the supernatural. But it is when the sun rises that Kabir puts the movie through a drastic tonal shift. Ronth has the effect of watching Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, but with the horrifically bleak climax of Hereditary tacked on at the end. Also read – Narivetta: They won't let you watch the shadow-banned Santosh, so you should watch Tovino Thomas' blazing new film 10 times as revenge Played by Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew, the two officers discover that they are just as vulnerable as the ordinary citizens that they have been sworn to protect. Despite their different ideologies and opposing approaches to police work — Mathew's Dinnath is idealistic, while Pothan's Yohannan has had the idealism knocked out of him — the two cops are mere pawns on the grand chessboard of power. Kabir foreshadows this sentiment when he has Yohannan walk past us in the film's opening scene, separated by bars on a window. He has always been incarcerated by the systems of survival; perhaps he knows this, perhaps he doesn't. Over the course of the night, Yohannan and Dinnath clash often — the veteran mocks his new partner for being overeager and a bit naïve. But gradually, they begin to understand each other. Yohannan has a soft corner for children, and his job forces him to interact with several of them, often in situations of peril. It is revealed that his son was stillborn, a tragedy that wrecked his wife's psyche. Dinnath, on the other hand, is a new father. He is desperate to provide a healthy life for his child, and his sincerity sears through Yohannan's unsentimental soul. After all, cynicism is only sincerity with experience. In between missing girls and annoying ghouls, the cops come across a group of seemingly lost young men. They point them in the right direction. Little do they know that the group was in the middle of committing a heinous crime, a crime that our heroes became unwitting accessories to the minute they helped the guys out. Decency, Ronth says rather despairingly, is the cause of their downfall. Yohannan would've spotted something fishy had his guard not been lowered by Dinnath's gullibility. Earlier in the film, the young officer had waved away a couple of obvious miscreants when they told him that they were on the way to the hospital. Perhaps having an ailing mother at home convinced him that people wouldn't lie about such a thing. Yohannan had a good laugh at his expense, further positioning himself as the wise one. But nothing can prepare either you or Arshad Warsi for what the movie does in its post-dawn epilogue. You have to hand it to the Malayali filmmakers; they don't pull punches. After being caught interacting with the group of murderers on CCTV, Dinnath and Yohannan are quickly arrested. They are told that the men they helped earlier that night killed a Dalit youth. The killers suspected him of having eloped with a woman from their presumably upper-caste community. Dinnath and Yohannan's bosses know that had nothing to do with the murder, but they need to pin the blame on somebody, and who better than the two nobody cops that have conveniently attached themselves to the crime? Read more – Rifle Club: A mind-blowing metaphor for the Malayalam industry's emergence as India's boldest creative hub In yet another cruel test of their decency, the top cop tries to get them to pin the blame on each other. The seasoned Yohannan is having none of it. 'I've done the same thing in hundreds of interrogations, don't try these tricks with me; they won't work. I'll take you to court, and I'll win. Bring it on,' he says. However, the clearly distraught Dinnath cracks under pressure. He sells his partner out, and promptly discovers that they will both be taken to court anyway. Dinnath is wracked with guilt; of letting his wife and child down, of throwing Yohannan under the bus, and of possibly never seeing his dying mother again. He makes a run for it, and is struck down by a bus — it's karmic justice for the sin he committed. Dinnath is the more virtuous of the two. But he is given a more cruel punishment than Yohannan, who is identified as more slippery than his partner. In an earlier scene, he happily accepts a bribe from a priest, who reappears in more unfortunate circumstances later in the film, when Yohannan reaches out to him for a favour. It is revealed that he had been punished for his sins before Dinnath's voice had probably even cracked; Yohannan had been stewing in the consequences of his actions for decades. Ronth gives a rather straightforward story the sprawl of a Biblical tragedy. Virtually every other filmmaker in this country would have ended the film at daybreak; not a single person in Bollywood would've had the patience or the palate for the extended epilogue. But it is a testament to the bravery of Malayalam directors that movies like Ronth are allowed to exist on their own terms, and not those of an audience conditioned to tolerate mediocrity. Post Credits Scene is a column in which we dissect new releases every week, with particular focus on context, craft, and characters. Because there's always something to fixate about once the dust has settled. Rohan Naahar is an assistant editor at Indian Express online. He covers pop-culture across formats and mediums. He is a 'Rotten Tomatoes-approved' critic and a member of the Film Critics Guild of India. He previously worked with the Hindustan Times, where he wrote hundreds of film and television reviews, produced videos, and interviewed the biggest names in Indian and international cinema. At the Express, he writes a column titled Post Credits Scene, and has hosted a podcast called Movie Police. You can find him on X at @RohanNaahar, and write to him at He is also on LinkedIn and Instagram. ... Read More
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Ronth' OTT release: Find out when and where to watch Roshan Mathew and Dileesh Pothan's police drama
Picture Credit: X After having a successful run in theatres, the gripping Malayalam-language police drama 'Ronth' is now set for its digital debut. The Roshan Mathew and Dileesh Pothan-starrer, which released in cinemas on June 13, 2025, is all set to stream online and features an intense night-patrol story. OTT details From July 22, 2025, 'Ronth' will be available to stream on JioHotstar. The official announcement was made by the streaming platform on their X (formerly Twitter) handle, where they shared, "Ready for Night-Patrol! Ronth will be streaming from 22 July." Originally made in Malayalam, the film will also be available in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada dubbed versions. About the film Directed and written by Shahi Kabir, best known for Nayattu, 'Ronth' is a slow-burning thriller that delves into the psyche of two police officers on a long and unpredictable night. The film revolves around Yohannan, played by Dileesh Pothan, a senior cop with years of experience, and Dinnath, portrayed by Roshan Mathew, a rookie officer fresh on the job. The narrative follows their night patrol around a town brimming with silent chaos, testing both their physical and emotional limits. The soul of 'Ronth' rests within the changing relationship between Yohannan and Dinnath. As the night progresses both characters must face their fears, hidden truths and their professional oath. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Struggling With Belly Fat? Try This at Home Home Fitness Hack Shop Now Undo The film subtly shines a light on moral concerns, justice, or institutional fatigue, creating a fresh take on the crime-thriller genre. Cast and crew The film also features Arun Cherukavil, Roshan Abdul Rahoof, Krisha Kurup, Lakshmi Menon and Carmen S. Mathew, to name a few. Of particular note is that Sudhi Koppa and Rajesh Madhavan appear in cameos. The musical score is given by Anil Johnson. Manesh Madhavan did the cinematography, and Praveen Mangalath is the editor of the film.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Malayalam filmmaker-writer Shahi Kabir on his new cop drama, ‘Ronth'
Shahi Kabir has done what he does best again — tapping into his life as a former police officer and weaving hard-hitting narratives. The recent one being Ronth, his sophomore movie as director. A slow-burner, the story zooms into the life of two police officers, Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan) and Dinanath (Roshan Mathew), who are out on night patrol with Dinanath at the wheel, ahead of Christmas. There is a simmering tension between the two. Dinanath is an idealistic rookie while Yohannan is pragmatic and hardened by experience. As they deal with multiple cases that night, some of which leave them distraught and traumatised, they eventually strike a bond. By the time their shift ends, they are caught in a trap, leading to an inevitable climax. Real to reel Shahi says several incidents shown in the film have either happened to him or other police officers that he knows, with ample layers of fiction added to the storyline. 'I have done night patrolling on many occasions in my career. Also, there are shades of my character in Roshan, especially fear, apprehension, and anxiety. Yohannan has the traits of many senior officers whom I have worked with and about whom I've heard of from fellow cops.' Having written or directed four cop dramas till now — Joseph(writer), Nayattu(writer), Ela Veezha Poonchira(director) and Officer on Duty (writer), Shahi admits that the subject is his comfort zone for the time being. 'Even though I look forward to write a different genre, the industry expects cop stories from me.' He resigned from police force a few months ago after 13 years of service. 'I was on leave for five years. With more opportunities coming in it was difficult to balance both. So I put in my papers.' Ronth is his first film as a director and scriptwriter. His directorial debut, Ela Veezha Poonchira, was written by fellow police officers, Nidheesh G and Shaji Maraad. 'It was tough being a writer and director at the same time. If it was another person's story he would have been around to point out inconsistencies or remind me of things. Handling both roles was difficult, especially because a significant portion of the film happens at night. We had 36 days of night shoot at Iritty (in Kannur district) and some 10 to 15 kilometres around it. That was stressful enough. I wished there was a writer with me to share the load.' Shahi points out that night shoots were equally challenging for cinematographer Manesh Madhavan, who has worked with him in Joseph and Ela Veezha Poonchira. 'It couldn't be too raw. Also, lights had to be just right. He had to find a balance between being realistic and cinematic.' Shooting the movie in sync sound added to the difficulties. 'There were so many practical challenges, with so much noise around. The sound team (Sinoy Joseph, who did sound mixing, and Arun Asok and Sonu KP, who handled sync sound and sound design) worked so hard on this to give the best output.' Shahi adds that he had thought about the story soon after the release of Nayattu (2021), which won him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story. 'But due to COVID-induced restrictions, we went ahead with Ela Veezha Poonchira, since the film needed a geographically-locked setting. Otherwise Ronth would have been made back then.' As for the cast, Shahi believes he could not have asked for a better cast. 'They are two of the best actors in the industry. Roshan is a great performer and I was confident that it will be different from what he has done so far.' He considers Dileesh his guru, having started his career as an assistant director in the latter's directorial venture, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, which won three National awards and two State awards. 'Pothettan had once said he wanted to act in a police story written by me and that has finally happened. We have seen different shades of him as an actor. I felt that this role would benefit from his capabilities as an actor. Pothettan being a director did not come in the way while he was acting. He does not look at the monitor after his scenes, except to check continuity. Roshan is also like that. They both left it to me to judge their scenes.' Shahi adds that he prefers his actors to improvise. 'I do not insist on dialogues being delivered the way I wrote them. Pothettan asked if he can improvise in a particular scene and the result was overwhelming.' While he believes that Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum has the most realistic portrayal of police in Malayalam cinema, Shahi points out that the change has happened over time. 'There has been an evolution of sorts. There was a time when police characters were there just for laughs, as in the case of Adoor Bhasi, Bahadur, Indrans, Cochin Haneefa etc. Then came the stories of upright, honest police officers. After a point, police officers became the bad guys... it kept changing and we reached the stage where the portrayal became more realistic.' Ronth is the first Malayalam production of Junglee Pictures, the renowned production and distribution house whose filmography includes Hindi films such as Dil Dhadakne Do, Talvar, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Raazi, Badhai Ho, Badhai Do, Ulajh etc. Ronth is a co production between Junglee Pictures and Festival Cinemas run by Rathish Ambat, Renjith EVM and Jojo Jose. Apparently Shahi was chosen by the production house for their entry into Malayalam. 'I don't know how I figured in their list. And when they called me to Mumbai for narration, I was told that there was someone in their team who knew Malayalam. But that was not the case. I was in for a shock when over a dozen of them sat around a table expecting me to narrate the story. Roshan, who had already worked in Ulajh, was with me then and thankfully he took over as we had discussed Ronth a few years ago. He saved the day.' Currently on a promotion spree for the film, Shahi observes that bringing people to theatres has become more important now. 'Commercial success is all that matters; unless a film works at the cinema, OTT platforms will not buy it.' Meanwhile he is writing the script for two films, one directed by Rathish Ambat and other by editor Kiran Das.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ronth movie review: A solid police procedural led by Dileesh Pothan, Roshan Mathew; but Shahi Kabir's usual problematic tropes persist
Ronth movie review: As a civil police officer-turned-filmmaker, there's one element that frequently appears in Shahi Kabir's films, particularly the ones he has scripted: how seemingly trivial incidents and actions, which initially appear resolvable, snowball into monstrous forces that eat alive those involved — a lesson he might have learned during his time as a cop. Even if these incidents/actions don't necessarily form the crux of the story, they become crucial to how the characters' lives unfold and, eventually, turn against them. In his latest outing, Ronth (a colloquial Malayalam term for police patrol duty), starring Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew in the lead roles, Shahi makes an even more meticulous use of this narrative element, crafting a story in which the khaki-clad metaphorical hunters, through moments of peripeteia, become the hunted. Although the basic idea of Ronth bears similarities to Shahi's sophomore screenplay Nayattu, helmed by Martin Prakkat — with parallels extending to how the police force, initially appearing as a saviour to both its officers and the public, becomes tyrannical the moment things begin to turn against it — what sets the two films apart is the way the writer-director has handled the overall narratives and characters. While Nayattu lacked sensitivity and followed a pattern of 'ruthless depiction', further marred by misrepresentations and a largely anti-Dalit undercurrent, Ronth is handled with far more care; but has its flaws. Much like Antoine Fuqua's Training Day (2001), where a large part of the story unfolds through the journey of two cops (Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke) — with an evident power imbalance between them — in a moving vehicle and within a limited timeframe, Ronth also features a similar setup. On a night around the Christmas season, Sub-Inspector Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan) and his junior Dinanath (Roshan Mathew) of Dharmashala Police Station, Kannur, are assigned night patrol duty. And the entire story unfolds through the various incidents they encounter — some isolated, others slowly connecting to form a larger picture — during their working hours. While Shahi establishes Dinanath's character directly, shedding light on his rapport with his family, particularly his wife (a stellar Krisha Kurup) and their daughter (Baby Nandhootty), Yohannan is introduced more subtly, through the words of his colleagues. At the station, when one of the female officers requests Dinanath not to bring in extremely anti-social criminals nabbed during night patrol (as the women will be in charge of security that night), he tells her to make the request directly to Yohannan. One of them responds, 'If we tell him this, he will find a teetotaller, get that person drunk, and then drop him off here.' Through such small, sharp dialogues, Shahi skillfully reveals the prevailing perception of Yohannan. But when the film cuts to Yohannan's home, we see a very different man; one who does all the household chores and is visibly afraid of his wife. As the night unfolds, however, we also begin to witness the version of Yohannan that his colleagues often complain about. Unlike typical cop characters, Yohannan is not black or white. He doesn't even respond the same way to similar situations. At one point, he reprimands Dinanath for not being strict enough with a group of youngsters 'unnecessarily' loitering in public. At another time, he scolds Dinanath for raising his voice at someone who disrespected the latter in the line of duty. Although calm in that moment, we also see Yohannan putting that very man firmly in his place later in the film. The same Yohannan, who shows deep compassion towards Dinanath upon learning that his daughter has a fever and when the latter is visibly disturbed upon seeing a woman's body hanging, doesn't miss a chance to belittle the young man or scold him; sometimes offering compassion and criticism in back-to-back moments. Without overt exposition, Shahi builds Yohannan's character through such instances and interactions, highlighting him as an 'experienced officer' who instinctively knows what to do, when and where. Dinanath, in contrast, is the archetypal righteous newcomer, whom older generations would infantilisingly call 'yet to see the world'. Although the film opens with Yohannan in police custody for a suspected murder, much of the narrative plays out in flashback, building up to the moment when the tables turn. Shahi takes his time constructing the world and characters without relying on a conventional mainstream template. In a way, Ronth feels like the kind of film we might have seen if director Abrid Shine had treated his Nivin Pauly-starrer Action Hero Biju (2016) as a police procedural drama instead of a comedy. Even though not every moment or incident in Ronth is nail-biting, Shahi has brilliantly managed to keep the audience engaged throughout, without ever letting the narrative lose its grip. The way he weaved in the mention of the eventual murder right at the start plays a key role in keeping the audience hooked. As more characters are introduced — any one of whose murder could derail the lives of the two cops — Shahi's skilful misdirection keeps viewers guessing, making the eventual reveal all the more impactful. At the same time, instead of romanticising mental health issues or overlooking the struggles of those grappling with them, Shahi shows personal growth here by handling such elements with far more care. Unlike films such as the atrocious Officer on Duty, helmed by Jithu Ashraf — wherein a very evident and genuinely psychotic villain, the haloed hypocrite and the weeping saint, is glorified and positioned as the 'hero' — Ronth addresses the greys in its cop characters with greater sensibility, without whitewashing them entirely. Beyond that, Shahi is also a 'brilliant' screenwriter in a problematic way. His ability to reframe a character and make the audience sympathise with them, by giving them tearful backstories and portraying them as scarred angels grappling with the ghosts of the past, is shocking. Even though his central cop characters usually have just as much grey in them as the evidently reprehensible officers like DySP Jacob (Arun Cherukavil) and Sadanandan (Kumaradas) in Ronth, and despite the fact that the commoners mistreated by them have every reason to harbour resentment, Shahi shrewdly downplays these aspects by painting over them with thick coatings of personal trauma. Yohannan is a case in point. Unlike Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) in Training Day, who is clearly depicted as an antagonist, Yohannan, though not involved in as many overtly illegal activities, is frequently shown in a sympathetic light, subtly encouraging the audience to overlook his flaws. While it's evident that he, too, struggles with mental health issues, Ronth largely glosses over his questionable actions. This tendency is one of the recurring issues across Shahi Kabir's movies. In his quest to humanise police officers, he often ends up overlooking their condemnable actions and ignoring the significant power they hold (even a CPO, for that matter) within the societal hierarchy, especially when compared to the average citizen. Ronth, though not as explicitly or disgustingly as Nayattu, also reveals glimpses of the filmmaker's troubling attitude towards Dalits. (Spoiler ahead) From the repeated use of the term 'colony' (commonly used pejoratively in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to refer to SC/ST people and their settlements) — although uttered mostly by grey-shaded characters — to the killing off of a Dalit character simply to show the strength of the case against Yohannan and Dinanath, the film is not free from Shahi's questionable mindset. Performance-wise, Dileesh Pothan delivers one of his finest to date as Yohannan, masterfully revealing just enough of the character's many layers at any given moment. Roshan Mathew, too, is solid as Dinanath, especially in his more vulnerable scenes. However, the unfortunate decision not to give them proper dialects has detracted from the film's overall quality. Technically, Ronth is a well-crafted cop drama, marked by a strong visual language, thanks to the brilliant cinematography by Manesh Madhavan. The film beautifully captures the ethos of both the characters and the broader landscape in tandem. The organic transitions between mid and wide shots, especially as the characters' moods and the narrative tone shift, enhance its visual depth, thanks in part to editor Praveen Mangalath's thoughtful work. It is in Ronth that we truly see the invaluable lessons Shahi must have absorbed during his time as an assistant to Dileesh Pothan on the latter's directorial Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017). Each frame here feels well thought out, and the minute detailing in every shot contributes richly to the film's overall aesthetic and emotional impact. Ronth movie cast: Dileesh Pothan, Roshan Mathew, Krisha Kurup, Lakshmi Menon, Arun Cherukavil, Nandan Unni, Sudhi Koppa, Baby Nandhootty Ronth movie director: Shahi Kabir Ronth movie rating: 3.5 stars Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ronth trailer: Roshan Mathew and Dileesh Pothan trade barbs during night patrols somewhere in Shahi Kabir's ‘cop universe'
Ronth trailer: 'People here behave not because of courts or laws, but because they're scared of getting thrashed by the cops,' Sub Inspector Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan) tells his subordinate Dinanath (Roshan Mathew) during one of their patrols. As the promo progresses, we see a few more instances of Yohannan assertively lecturing the young officer on how to conduct himself as a cop, while the latter listens with visible disinterest. In fact, the trailer for writer-director Shahi Kabir's Ronth unfolds through a series of patrols by the two officers, during which they encounter various tasks; most of them mundane, but some risky. 'I'm on duty with that douchebag Yohannan tonight. He's been pestering me for quite some time now,' Dinanath tells a woman over the phone at the beginning of the 132-second trailer, highlighting the tension in their relationship. Yet when duty calls, he has no choice but to obey his senior officer. Throughout the promo, Yohannan is cold and condescending toward Dinanath, who, in turn, keeps his distance. 'You're on driver duty, right? So, you do that alone! I'm the officer here; I know what to do,' Yohannan snaps at Dinanath in front of others. Later, during a night patrol, Dinanath pushes back with, 'I'm on driver duty, right? So I know how to handle this,' after Yohannan tells him to go slowly. Still, when his superior gives an order, Dinanath has no choice but to comply, even while enduring constant insults. As the promo nears its end, the two find themselves in increasingly tense situations, with their lives potentially at risk. 'A gripping cop drama which follows a stoic senior police officer haunted by his past and his idealistic young partner assigned to night patrols. Their clashing personalities ignite tension, but as a series of intense and emotional events unfold, a reluctant bond begins to form. When a life-threatening incident threatens their careers, both must confront their deepest fears and darkest truths to survive the shadows of duty,' the movie's synopsis reads. Known for crafting cop stories, Ronth is former police officer Shahi Kabir's second directorial venture after Ela Veezha Poonchira (2022). It is also his fourth screenplay, following Joseph (2018), Nayattu (2021) and Officer on Duty (2025). Also starring Sudhi Koppa, Arun Cherukavil, Krisha Kurup, Nandanunni, Lakshmi Menon and Baby Nandhootty, the movie features music by Anil Johnson, cinematography by Manesh Madhavan, and editing by Praveen Mangalath. Ronth is set to hit theatres on Friday, June 13.
