Set in a rural milieu, Komban centers on the running feud between two rival factions, belonging to the same caste, each vying for supremacy. The messiah of one is Komban, a hot-blooded youngster, who never lets a slight or injustice go unchallenged. It seems like the whole plot was geared to make the protagonist seem like a larger-than-life figure. And Karthi stands up to it. His macho look, the swagger in his walk and the whole body language and demeanour is perfectly tuned to the demands of the role. But after a while, the whole scenario of one unarmed man demolishing a dozen armed-rowdies singlehandedly becomes predictable and monotonous. The director has used every cliche possible and the film runs on expected lines.
When the film opens and we are a little into it, the feel and look gives the impression that it would be another Paruthiveeran. But then as the narration progresses, the impression is soon put to rest. The director does bring in other angles, but soon sidelines each. The love interludes between Komban and Palani (Lakshmi) are brief ones as the duo ties the knot fast enough. The whole pre-marriage scenario, however, generates some humour. Another angle, which seems interesting is the relationship between Komban and his father-in-law Muthaiah (Rajkiran). Komban is antagonistic towards Muthaiah for some presumed wrongs done to him. With a violent physical altercation between the duo ahead of interval, it seems like an interesting angle the director would be exploring. But that angle too is given up, when a character in a brief dialogue, clears Komban’s doubts. Komban thawing towards his father-in-law. Rajkiran provides the emotional punch, though his character is never quite fleshed out to give him any real moment of substance.
The first half with its humour, fights, and Karthi’s contribution has some interesting moments with the promise of more to come. But in the second half the screenplay seems repetitive with more violence and fights. Out of character, Komban even does a sting operation on a corrupt cop. There is the fight scene in the forest where dozens of men armed to the teeth ambush him and Muthaiah.
As all through, Komban was shown as moving alone and unarmed, with just his uncle, more of a joker, for company, this Rambo-style scenario is laughable.
And like most village plots, this one too climaxes at the village festival. Komban with its violence-filled action scenario would have been a more satisfactory film, had its emotional angle been explored too.
