Ronth

Ronth is a unique and intense one-night police procedural that explores the unseen emotional and moral weight of routine patrolling. Dileesh Pothan excels as a seasoned cop, and Roshan Mathew shines as the rookie learning fast on the job. The film captures the chaos and unpredictability of real-life police work-from domestic violence to suicide cases-all in one night.

But the final act is where it stumbles. Roshan's character suddenly makes irrational decisions that feel out of place, and the ending is abrupt, leaving the story feeling unfinished. The film had great buildup, but the conclusion lacked the depth and closure it deserved.

Still, worth watching for the performances and grounded storytelling.

Ronth (2025) is a Malayalam movie that tells the story of two police officers who are on duty for a night shift at a rural police station. The movie takes place in one night and follows their patrol journey. SI Yohannan, played by Dileesh Pothan, is an experienced and calm officer who has been in the job for many years. His junior, CPO Dinanath, played by Roshan Mathew, is new to the police force and still believes in doing everything by the rules. As they travel through the night in their police jeep, they deal with different situations-some serious, some emotional-and we see how both officers think and react to each one. The story shows the contrast between the two characters: one who has seen it all and accepts the system as it is, and the other who is still trying to do what's right, even when it's hard. The performances by both actors are very natural and realistic, making the audience feel like they are right there with them. The movie is slow but emotional, with simple scenes that leave a strong impact. It doesn't have big action or loud drama, but it shows the real challenges and feelings of police officers on duty. Ronth is a quiet, powerful film that makes us think and stays with us even after it ends.

Strong emotional Story But really Disappointed with Climax.

Expected not an happy ending but climax could have made balanced.

Strong emotional Story But really Disappointed with Climax.

Expected not an happy ending but climax could have made balanced.

Strong emotional Story But really Disappointed with Climax.

Expected not an happy ending but climax could have made balanced.

The name Shahi Kabir is enough to pull you into this interestingly minimal night patrol cop drama. The leads (Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew) are well-written, and both their performances are superbly effective. We, as audiences, get to witness possibly one of the most compelling, challenging nights they go through as Officers on Patrol Duty (pun intended). The North Kerala landscape also adds so much to the proceedings, successfully sending chills down our spine when needed. The cases they deal with are also emotionally hard-hitting and carry life-altering consequences, making each incident either add more baggage or connect to a larger thread of events.

The setup is minimal when you think of it, but the writing and direction are splendid. The dialogues swing between humourously relatable and deeply moving; it's safe to say that both sides of the coin are effective. And when you know it's part of the Shahi Kabir Copverse™ (loved the Nayattu connection), you'd be anticipating that feeling of heaviness in the chest as the film concludes. I'm amazed how the writer-director can tell these realistically grounded stories as a cop himself.

Manesh Madhavan's scintillating cinematography (almost 3/4ths of the film unfolds at night), Anil Johnson's affecting music, and Praveen Mangalath's editing all help the film to a great extent. Certain parts of it could've easily been tagged as "psychological horror," and I would agree. I was instantly reminded of Training Day when I watched the trailer, but Ronth is a greater emotional beast, and it carries a core that's easy to connect to.

The movie had potential, though the beginning scene merge was unnecessary and how they ended it was also unnecessary. Could have used the events to tell a commercial style story, something along the lines of Action Hero Biju in the tone of Officer on Duty. A missed opportunity. Because, the on-screen give and take was good. I don't why they chose tragedy, reminded me of films in the early 90's when tragedy was essential across media, let it be novels, serials or films. I don't know if anyone would watch films for engaging in that emotion anymore, especially it would cloud the experience of watching a movie if a hint of the story was given at the beginning. Even if tragedy was the aim, should have just started the film normally without any unnecessary editing gimmick. Otherwise, should have chosen to completely immerse into the slice of life genre.