Kayamkulam Kochunni was the Robin Hood of Kerala who lived in Kayamkulam in the 19th century. Active in central Travancore region of British India, he stole from the rich to give it to the poor. At Edappara Maladevar Nada Temple, in Pathanamthitta district, there is a shrine dedicated to Kochunni where people worship him irrespective of their religion.

The movie Kayamkulam Kochunni received widespread attention from the day it was announced by director Rosshan Andrews and producer Gokulam Gopalan, mainly due to its star cast. Having Superstar Mohanlal along with Nivin Pauly brought the film right under the limelight. Nivin plays the titular role while Mohanlal has an extended cameo as Ithikkara Pakki, a legendary highwayman. Made with a budget of almost 50 crores, it is the biggest Malayalam film made to date.

As the name suggests, the film has it's plot firmly rooted in the life of Kayamkulam Kochunni. It shows the transformation of a young boy into Kayamkulam Kochunni and who all played a role in it. Pictured on a broad canvas, the film is a visual beauty. The screenplay written by Bobby-Sanjay highlights the turning points in Kochunni's life. The film has the right ingredients to make it a mass entertainer and satisfy the common man. But there are also few concerns, like a certain group of characters turning against Kochunni could have been brought onscreen more convincing without artificiality.

Nivin Pauly has done a good job in transforming himself from the boy-next-door to an actor composed enough to play the lead role in a period film. His portrayal of Kochunni is convincing and impactful. Superstar Mohanlal has addressed himself as a director's actor many times in the past. His role in bringing all the attention to Kayamkulam Kochunni is indisputable. His Ithikkara Pakki seemed closer to Jack Sparrow than the real Ithikkara Pakki, perhaps due to the Portuguese style costumes. Even though it was mass personified, the extent to which it will be digested by a large audience remains to be seen. Priya Anand plays the female lead and has done justice to her character. Sunny Wayne plays the lead antagonist with ease and Babu Antony's portrayal of Kochunni's Kalari Gurukkal (martial arts teacher) is the actor's yet another quality performance.