Kooman: The Night Rider

Kooman: The Night Rider is a Malayalam-language mystery thriller film directed by Jeethu Joseph of Dhrishyam fame, with a screenplay by K. R. Krishna Kumar. The story resembles a blend of Jeethu Joseph’s two big successes; Drishyam and Memories. Kooman has one track where the protagonist hides something he has done and then tries to solve a mystery behind a series of murders. Written by KR Krishna Kumar, Kooman is a mixed-bag thriller that has its moments at regular intervals of time. Krishna Kumar and Jeethu Joseph make us believe that Giri’s ego is driving the whole plot. But post-interval, the signature Jeethu Joseph shift happens, and we see Giri evolving into another version of Sam Alex. Giri by character ruminates over negative life incidents and becomes a kleptomaniac as a result of it.

The film stars Asif Ali, with Renji Panicker, Jaffar Idukki, Baiju, Baburaj, Riyas Narmakala, Hannah Reji Koshy, Jayan Cherthala, Pauly Valsan, Nandu, Meghanathan, Ramesh Thilak and George Maryan. 

Girishankar is a respected young police constable in his village. He is very observant and finds clues in cases that no one else notices. As a result, the Circle Inspector Pillai and the Sub Inspector Sukumaran greatly appreciate his detective skills, which also makes a few constables jealous as they can never be as good and brilliant as Giri. However, Giri also has an ego issue. He can be easily annoyed by arrogant villagers and holds grudges. He is even willing to use his power to file cases on them if possible. CI Pilai scolds Giri for trying to file a drug smuggling case on a young man who told Giri to remember his place as a constable.

CI Pillai then retires from duty and a new Circle Inspector named Harilal who is a very egoistic cop takes charge there. Later, after a series of events, CI Harilal and two constables get suspended. Jaffar Idukki, as the thief, was also brilliant. But the wow factor in revealing the mystery man is not quite there, and the third act kind of goes on and on because of the theme.

In holding a grudge, and building it up into something big enough to take revenge, Giri (Asif Ali) displays a twisted criminal bent of mind. But he also happens to be a policeman with a particularly sharp brain. In one of the early scenes, we see him getting mildly offended by someone’s passing comment in a teashop, and later attempting to frame him, when he gets a chance. His mind, it would seem, has no sense of proportion when it comes to reacting to those who challenge him or rub him the wrong way.

It is this one aspect of his character that becomes the key to Jeethu Joseph’s Kooman, forming its most interesting thread. A policeman who nurses his grudge and acts on it can be quite a threat to the non-uniformed people around him. But when his anger turns against a superior officer, then he has to be a little more creative in taking revenge. This “creativity” on Giri’s part is quite a wild leap for a policeman, and that is exactly what makes it exciting. 

Despite being a police officer, he lets his ego get the best of him and goes on to commit crimes, which is very much against the appropriate conduct of a policeman. At the end of the movie, we find that Lakshmi, who had been confused and worried about her sexuality, resorts to black magic to help with her situation.

What keeps the interest alive is the main thread related to the vengeful character essayed masterfully by Asif Ali.