Kumki reviews

After breaking ours hearts with a sweeping romantic tragedy, Prabhu Solomon returns with a story where an elephant is playing the eponymous character. Kumki takes place in a hilly village called Aadhi Kaadu where a notorious wild elephant, which goes by the name Komban, has been causing ruckus for many years. From bringing down huts to destroying the plantation, the elephant eventually goes to the extent of trampling a villager. Deciding to put an end to this menace, the villagers decide to use the services of a 'kumki' elephant, which are traditionally known to help keep away wild elephants. In comes a mahout named Bomman and his elephant Manickam, who offer to help the villagers.

Bomman naturally falls in love with the village chief's daughter named Alli. This is a very lazy cliche and is reminiscent of so many other movies which have used this same element. Why can't she be just some random villager's daughter? Anyway, what follows is a tumultuous series of events which forever changes the lives of the two lovers and elephant. Close to the end, though, a degree of predictability creeps in, affecting the good work the film had managed to do.

I know this comparison might sound too wayward to some but the plotline of Kumki sort of reminded me of Kurosawa's Seven Samauri. Seriously, think about it.

In all these years, I have never regretted not watching a Tamil film on the biggest screen available. But sitting through Kumki, I couldn't help but wish for exactly that. The cinematography is gorgeous and a certain shots are seriously vertigo-inducing. The lush greenery and the wet locales go a long way in creating the right atmosphere. I have been sitting here trying to think of a better sounding movie and nothing comes to mind. I had not listened to the soundtrack before, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how very effective Imman's music was.

The film kept getting postponed due to delay in the heavy CG work and I am not sure if the wait was worth it. A fight sequence taking place between the Kumki and the Komban has a lot of CG shots. I mean, the elephant is no Richard Parker by any stretch but the work is acceptable. Lakshmi Menon, who impressed with her debut in Sundarapandian, which remains my favorite ensemble performance, shines in Kumki. But the star of the film is debutante Vikram Prabhu who is very convincing as the lovestruck mahout. It is not quite the tour de force debut Karthi had with Paruthiveeran, but he totally makes you root for him.

Kumki is a film with a lot of heart. After a lot of forgettable movies, Prabhu Solomon appears to be on a good run, and I hope the streak continues. Chances are it may not work for everyone but, walking in with no expectations, it surely did for me.

Shot in the picturesque backdrop of Kerala and Karnataka, “Kumki” is an effort worth being discussed and dissected. The film may not feature any recognizable star in the lead, but with its non-conventional storyline, immediately impresses the audience to the fullest.

The story revolves around a fictional village named Aadikadu, where the livelihoods of its residents are under constant threat from the attacks of wild elephants. The villagers unanimously decide to hire a mahout to fend off any future damage.

Bomman and his elephant Manikam, who are not originally suitable for the job, get embroiled in the plot to save the villagers from the imminent threat of wild elephant.

Meanwhile, Bomman falls head over heels for the daughter of the head of the village. But, unfortunately, it's been an ancient custom in the village that everybody is married to someone within the hamlet. Will Bomman have happy ending forms the rest of the story?

Though the basic premise of the film revolves around the sensitive relationship between a mahout and his elephant, filmmaker Prabhu Solomon subtly throws light on the relationship between Bomman and Valli. If you were to come to the conclusion that “Kumki” is a film about a mahout and his relationship then probably you've got the intention of the director all wrong.

Prabhu paints a love story in the most unconventional background and yet manages to strike a chord with the audience.

The locations are out of this world and it's very evident from the output that Prabhu must've spent quite a lot of time exploring these locations.

Debutant Vikram excels in his role and carves a niche early on in his career. With his performance as a mahout, he's definitely caught the attention of one all. Vikram and Thambi Ramaiah tag team is highly entertaining.

“Kumki” is undoubtedly one of the best visually appealing films of 2012. Don't miss it.

This movie is a boring love story with elephant doing very little in the overall screenplay. The weak love track makes the movie less engaging and changes the plot completely. I loved the location, Camera and Thambi Ramaiya. Its not a bad movie. Can be watched once with pop corn and drinks. Better to Watch NAAN E Again