Kichamani M.B.A. 2007

Kichamani Suresh Gopi is a smooth-talking wheeler-dealer who runs a sprawling operation that thrives on bribery and access to government machinery. The so-called MBA attached to his name isn’t a degree at all—it’s a badge for the Member of Bachelor Association, a clever cover that fits his devotion to Lord Ayappa and his appetite for control. Through a tightly organized web of favors and passes, he can get anyone any deed done—transfers, smuggling, and even seats in private medical colleges—so long as the price is right. This is a world where rules bend and power sits on a carefully balanced shelf, and Kichamani stands at the center of its equilibrium.

His operation isn’t a lone empire; it runs on a tight crew that includes the streetwise Jinnah Cochin Haneefa and the loyal Bahuleyan Rizabawa, among others. Udhayabhanu Bijukuttan and a hard-edged enforcer, sometimes joined by Gopi’s influence, fill out the inner circle that Kichamani trusts to keep his machines oiled and his rivals at bay. The personalities in this circle aren’t just aides; they are extensions of the corruption machine, each with their own motives and loyalties that can shift with the next political wind.

Into this turbulent landscape strides Devanarayanan, popularly known as Devanji, a shrewd politician who treats politics as part of his illegal business. Biju Menon brings to life a man who believes the antidote to corruption is more corruption, a philosophy that sustains his hold on power and clashes with Kichamani’s methods. Devanarayanan’s calculus is personal as much as it is political: he backs Bahuleyan, his challenger within the party, while fearing that Kichamani’s reach could derail his own plans. The friction between these two power brokers is the engine that powers the entire story, a relentless tug-of-war that keeps every move in motion.

Amid the political chessboard, a new and very human thread enters the frame: Shivani Menon Navya Nair, an award-winning documentary filmmaker from Delhi, arrives with a small crew—Chempakaraman and Sajan Jayasurya—to document an alleged land dispute tied to the Paradise group, which is headed by Devanji. What begins as a routine investigation into illegal land acquisition soon spirals into personal peril for Shivani and her team. The danger isn’t abstract here; it’s immediate, and it pulls them straight into the orbit of Kichamani’s world.

As Shivani and her crew probe deeper, they uncover the machinery that makes the Paradise project possible—and the men who will stop at nothing to protect their financial and political interests. Kichamani steps in not just as a fixer but as a guardian, offering shelter and safety after intervening at a critical moment. His act of protection creates a complicated, unspoken bond between the outsider filmmaker and the man who runs the inside world of deals, setting the stage for a delicate balancing act between trust and suspicion.

The romance subplot centers on Sajan and Kalyani Priyanka Nair, a relationship that grows in the shadow of the larger power struggle. Their bond provides a softer counterpoint to the film’s relentless push and pull of ambition and authority, adding emotional stakes to the political and criminal games at play. It’s a reminder that beneath every grand scheme there are personal choices, loyalties, and moments of tenderness that remind the characters of their humanity even as destiny pushes them toward confrontation.

Throughout the film, the conflict between Kichamani and Devanarayanan escalates into a full-blown power duel. Devanji mobilizes every lever at his disposal, gathering every advantage to challenge Kichamani’s grip on the party, the district, and the city’s corridors of power. The tension is palpable as each side deploys its resources: political manoeuvres, leverage over government machinery, and the threat of reprisals against anyone who might stand in their way. The villain’s strategy—meticulous, patient, and ruthless—attempts to outflank Kichamani at every turn, proving to be a singular plot worked out with precision and grit.

Amid this high-stakes conflict, the narrative also lingers on the moral ambiguity of a world where “doing a favor” can mean both protection and peril. The film never shies away from showing how crisscrossing loyalties shape decisions, why power corrupts, and how the lines between right and wrong blur when personal gain sits at the center of every calculation. The danger faced by Shivani and her team—exposed investigations, covert threats, and the constant chance of exposure—serves as a constant reminder that the truth in this realm is a fragile currency.

In the end, the film crafts a dense tapestry of ambition, loyalty, and rivalry, anchored by the electric performances of its leads and supported by a cast that anchors the world in which they move. The story remains faithful to its core premise: a relentless contest between two men who believe they can bend the world to their vision, and a cast of characters whose fates intertwine as the battle lines are drawn, redrawn, and finally tested in sharp, decisive moments. The result is a story that feels lived-in, with its own unique rhythm, striking dialogue, and a careful balance between politics, crime, and human connection.

• Jayasurya delivers Sajan with a blend of charm and resolve, a counterpoint to the ruthless pragmatism of the land deals that drive the plot.

• Navya Nair brings Shivani’s curiosity and vulnerability to life, giving the documentary thread a pulse that keeps the audience engaged beyond the hustle of power.

• The film’s consequential stakes are always clear: a fight for influence that could reshape the lives of everyone involved, from the scheming elites to the ordinary people caught in the crossfire.