Anupama Chopra reviews Ronth, the Malayalam police drama starring Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew in the lead roles. Directed and written by Shahi Kabir and produced by Vineet Jain, Rathish Ambat, Renjith EVM, and Jojo Jose under Junglee Pictures in association with Festival Cinemas, this film follows two police officers on night patrol duty over the course of a single night. In this detailed review for The Hollywood Reporter India, Anupama examines how Kabir, a former police officer himself, creates a haunting atmospheric story using the classic trope of a grizzled, cynical senior officer paired with an idealistic rookie. She discusses how the film immerses viewers into what seems like an ordinary night of patrolling, following Sub-Inspector Yohannan (Dileesh Pothan), who has spent 22 years in service, and CPO Dinanath (Roshan Mathew), who has only done six months on the force.
Anupama highlights the film's authentic detailing and realistic portrayal of police work, noting how these officers exist on the opposite end of Rohit Shetty's superheroic cops - there's no swagger in their walk as they deal with domestic violence, accidents, missing persons cases, and other routine incidents. She praises the performances of both Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew, particularly noting Pothan's capability as a multitasking director-actor and Mathew's frightened desperation when his character understands the gravity of his situation. The review covers Manesh Madhavan's cinematography, Anil Johnson's music, and Kabir's restrained directorial approach that shows the exhaustion, responsibilities, and moral complexities these officers face. Anupama concludes that the film devastatingly shows what it takes to be a policeman in India, with its inevitable and heartbreaking climax.
