Ronth

Ronth isn't here to thrill. It's here to haunt. It's a quiet, unhurried, and deeply unsettling portrait of what it means to patrol the line between order and morality—and what happens when that line begins to blur.

Ronth marks Shahi Kabir's fifth police thriller and is once again coloured by his real-life experiences as a policeman who has seen all kinds of disquieting events. Shahi Kabir's golden run continues in a spiritual successor to 'Nayattu', with the best from Roshan Mathew and Dileesh Pothan.

Ronth is a subtle, sharp story soaked in realism, featuring strong performances from Roshan Mathew and Dileesh Pothan.

Although the basic idea of Ronth bears similarities to Shahi's sophomore screenplay Nayattu, 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.

Through two conflicting cops on patrol duty, Shahi Kabir succeeds in crafting yet another layered police story with hard-hitting socio-political commentary

While the plot builds toward a central conflict, the eventual payoff feels slightly underwhelming. But even with that, 'Ronth' remains compelling. For those who've followed Shahi Kabir's brand of grounded police dramas, 'Ronth' is worth a watch.