# Kotee
**Kotee** (ಕೋಟಿ) is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language drama thriller directed and written by Parameshwar Gundkal, known professionally as Param, in his debut as a filmmaker, and starring [Dhananjaya](https://www.edgepedia.org/dhananjaya) in the title role[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee) • [2](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/kotee-movie-125399). The film follows an honest, lower middle-class man in the fictional Janatha City who defies the local gang leader Dinoo Saavkar while trying to earn one crore (Indian numbering: one crore equals ten million rupees) rupees without cheating anyone[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms). It was produced by Jio Studios, marking the Mumbai-based studio's entry into Kannada film production[2](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/kotee-movie-125399) • [4](https://kannadascreens.com/2024/06/11/why-kotee-success-is-very-important-to-kannada-cinema/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 14 June 2024, in Kannada, certified U/A[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-details/kotee/movieshow/109375425.cms) |
| Director and writer | Parameshwar Gundkal (Param), his debut directorial[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee) • [6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/) |
| Lead cast | Dhananjaya as Kotee; Moksha Kushal as Navami; Ramesh Indira as Dinoo Saavkar; Rangayana Raghu as Ramanna[7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054) |
| Producer | Jio Studios, with Jyoti Deshpande as producer[2](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/kotee-movie-125399) |
| Music | Songs by Vasuki Vaibhav (lyrics with Yogaraj Bhat); background score by Nobin Paul[7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054) • [8](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/daali-dhananjay-starrer-kotee-first-movie-ticket-given-to-kichcha-sudeep-084629.html) |
| Audience ratings | IMDb 6.3/10 (375 votes); BookMyShow 8.5/10 (2.9K+ votes)[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27494630/) • [7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054) |
| Streaming | Available on Prime Video[10](https://letterboxd.com/film/kotee/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
Kotee (Dhananjaya) is an honest, lower middle-class man who runs a small packers and movers business and doubles as a cab driver in the fictional Janatha City, which is run by the thug Dinoo Savkaar (Ramesh Indira). Despite working multiple shifts, Kotee refuses to take loans[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms). His family consists of his mother (Tara Anooradha), his sister Mahati (Thanuja Venkatesh), and his brother Nachchi (Pruthvi Shamanur)[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms). His stated goal is to earn a crore rupees, the sum that gives the film its title, and pull his family out of a lower middle-class existence, holding to one principle: to never cheat, lie, or shortchange anyone[11](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/kotee-review-dhananjaya-shines-in-an-earnest-well-rounded-film-about-money).
When his defiance of the gang leader leads to mounting debts, Kotee faces a life-altering choice to eliminate or be eliminated[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee). The [BookMyShow](https://www.edgepedia.org/bookmyshow) synopsis frames the quest as an honest fortune to provide for his sister's marriage[7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054). A reviewer on [Letterboxd](https://www.edgepedia.org/letterboxd) described the film's arc as a man trying to earn an honest crore in a world ruined by crony capitalists and ruthless zamindars, concluding that being a Gandhian in a system that gives no consideration to him is not the way to go, but only a [Robin Hood](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood) can bring change[10](https://letterboxd.com/film/kotee/).
## Production
The film was written and directed by Parameshwar Gundkal, the former business head of the television channel Colors Kannada, who had earlier introduced the show [Bigg Boss](https://www.edgepedia.org/bigg-boss) to Kannada audiences[12](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/news/2024/kotee-review-kannada-movie-first-review-2024-ratings-casts-crew-storyline-release-date-401417.html) • [4](https://kannadascreens.com/2024/06/11/why-kotee-success-is-very-important-to-kannada-cinema/). The film has five songs composed by [Vasuki Vaibhav](https://www.edgepedia.org/vasuki-vaibhav), with lyrics by Yogaraj Bhat and Vasuki Vaibhav; Nobin Paul, known for *777 Charlie*, handled the background score, Pratheek Shetty, praised for his work on *Kantara*, was the editor, and the television cinematographer Arun operated the camera[8](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/daali-dhananjay-starrer-kotee-first-movie-ticket-given-to-kichcha-sudeep-084629.html).
The film's poster was released on the Ugadi festival day, 9 April 2024, and the first movie ticket was presented to the actor Kichcha Sudeep[8](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/daali-dhananjay-starrer-kotee-first-movie-ticket-given-to-kichcha-sudeep-084629.html). A KannadaScreens analysis noted the release's significance for the industry: [Kannada cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/kannada-cinema) had not seen a major hit in the six months before the film's release, and Jio Studios, a subsidiary of [Reliance Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/reliance-entertainment) led by Jyoti Deshpande, had entered Kannada production with Kotee after large national studios had largely stayed away from producing in the language[4](https://kannadascreens.com/2024/06/11/why-kotee-success-is-very-important-to-kannada-cinema/).
## Release and reception
Kotee released in theaters on 14 June 2024[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-details/kotee/movieshow/109375425.cms) • [12](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/news/2024/kotee-review-kannada-movie-first-review-2024-ratings-casts-crew-storyline-release-date-401417.html). Rotten Tomatoes lists a limited theatrical release on 21 June 2024 with a runtime of 2 hours 30 minutes[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee). Reported runtimes differ across listings: Rotten Tomatoes gives 2h 30m[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee), BookMyShow 2h 35m[7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054), Filmibeat Kannada 169 minutes[13](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/movies/kotee.html), The Times of India's review page 2 hours 2 minutes[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms), and the same outlet's details page 2 hours 49 minutes[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-details/kotee/movieshow/109375425.cms).
**Critical response.** Critics generally praised the performances while faulting the pacing and length. Subha J Rao of The News Minute, rating the film 4/5, wrote that Dhananjaya shines in an earnest, well-rounded film about money[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/) • [11](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/kotee-review-dhananjaya-shines-in-an-earnest-well-rounded-film-about-money). Vivek M V of The Hindu called Dhananjaya's work in the titular role the saving grace of an otherwise bland film[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/). A Sharadhaa of Cinema Express and Sunanya Suresh of South First both rated it worth watching; Suresh welcomed it as a film made for Kannadigas amid the pan-India wave[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/). Prathibha Joy of OTTplay found Dhananjaya and Ramesh Indira in fine form but saw a massive soap opera hangover in Param's debut[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/). Latha Srinivasan of Hindustan Times argued the film should have focused more on the one-crore plot and been pacier and tightly edited, since the meandering screenplay makes the audience's interest waver despite the good performances[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/). The Times of India gave 3.5/5, calling it slow and steady, and the Bangalore Mirror review cited the film's duration and its focus on hiccups and kleptomania as drawbacks[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms) • [14](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/kannada-movie-review-kotee-entertaining-but-you-must-have-patience/articleshow/111006431.cms).
**Audience response.** On IMDb the film holds 6.3/10 from 375 user reviews[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27494630/), while BookMyShow users rated it 8.5/10 across more than 2,900 votes, with the most common review tags being #GreatActing (791 mentions), #SuperDirection (722), and #AwesomeStory (638)[7](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054). Viewer reviews on Letterboxd were divided, with praise for the performances and technical work alongside criticism of the melodrama, the love track, and the excessive length[10](https://letterboxd.com/film/kotee/).
## References
1. [Kotee, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kotee)
2. [Kotee Movie (2024): Release Date, Review, Cast, Trailer, Gadgets 360](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/kotee-movie-125399)
3. [Kotee Movie Review: Slow, steady, and wins the race, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/kotee/movie-review/110961993.cms)
4. [1 'ಕೋಟಿ'ಯಿಂದ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಕೋಟಿಗಳವರೆಗೂ, KannadaScreens](https://kannadascreens.com/2024/06/11/why-kotee-success-is-very-important-to-kannada-cinema/)
5. [Kotee Movie: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos, eTimes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-details/kotee/movieshow/109375425.cms)
6. [Kotee Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29735/kotee/reviews/)
7. [Kotee (2024), BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/pune/kotee/ET00395054)
8. [Daali Dhananjay starrer Kotee first movie ticket given to Kichcha Sudeep, Kannada Filmibeat](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/daali-dhananjay-starrer-kotee-first-movie-ticket-given-to-kichcha-sudeep-084629.html)
9. [Kotee (2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27494630/)
10. [Kotee (2024) directed by Param, Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/film/kotee/)
11. [Kotee review: Dhananjaya shines in an earnest, well-rounded film about money, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/kotee-review-dhananjaya-shines-in-an-earnest-well-rounded-film-about-money)
12. [Kotee First Review: Param's High Intense Drama Is 'Engrossing Emotional Rollercoaster', Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/news/2024/kotee-review-kannada-movie-first-review-2024-ratings-casts-crew-storyline-release-date-401417.html)
13. [ಕೋಟಿ, Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/movies/kotee.html)
14. [Kannada Movie Review - Kotee: Entertaining, but you must have patience, Bangalore Mirror](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/kannada-movie-review-kotee-entertaining-but-you-must-have-patience/articleshow/111006431.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Kannada films of the 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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