Ronth Movie Review
Ronth: A Haunting Night Patrol Through Emotion and Injustice
Shahi Kabir's Ronth is a powerfully acted, emotionally resonant police drama that delves into the moral and mental struggles of two officers entangled in a police case.Ronth is an impassioned and emotionally charged drama that intricately weaves the lives of two policemen, brought to life by stellar performances. Writer-director Shahi Kabir, known for his socially conscious narratives in Nayattu, Joseph, and Officer On Duty, once again returns to familiar thematic territory-systemic failure, caste conflict, and the psychological toll of policing. Drawing from his own experience as a civil police officer, Kabir delivers an authentic and gripping portrayal of law enforcement dynamics, this time set in the Dharmashala police station.
The story revolves around Sub Inspector Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan) and station driver Dinanath (Roshan Mathew), whose lives converge during a routine night patrol. What begins as a mundane duty soon spirals into a deeply unsettling case involving the disappearance of a teenage girl from a wealthy household. The prime suspect-a young man from a Dalit family-triggers the film's central conflict, exposing the deep-seated caste prejudices that distort justice.
Yohannan and Dinanath are more than just law enforcers-they are family men grappling with private anxieties. Yohannan is quietly worried about his wife Salomi (Lakshmi Menon), while Dinanath is consumed by concerns for his ailing daughter (Baby Nandhootty), as well as his responsibilities toward his wife (Krisha Kurup) and mother (Shyni Vijayan). The emotional layering of these characters is one of the film's most potent strengths, and both Pothan and Mathew deliver restrained yet compelling performances. Roshan captures the vulnerabilities of an inexperienced policeman with grace, while Pothan lends remarkable depth to a character torn between duty and conscience.
The film echoes the thematic weight of Nayattu, particularly in its exploration of caste-based injustice. Though the missing case acts as a catalyst, Ronth is more invested in the unraveling of its central characters. The intervention of DySP Jacob (Arun Cherukayil) intensifies their predicament, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere of powerlessness. Lakshmi Menon, despite minimal dialogue, conveys Salomi's emotional state through poignant body language, while Krisha Kurup is limited by a less demanding role.
Manesh Madhavan's cinematography, especially during the night scenes, adds a moody realism that complements Anil Johnson's haunting background score. The film's procedural detailing may remind some of Action Hero Biju, but unlike that film's light-hearted tone, Ronth treads a darker, more introspective path.
Ultimately, Ronth is a hard-hitting and thoughtfully crafted film that lays bare the inner turmoil of two ordinary policemen trapped in an extraordinary situation. With its layered storytelling and grounded realism, Shahi Kabir offers yet another compelling examination of the human cost of systemic dysfunction.
