Rakkasapuradol review: Strong writing lifts Raj B Shetty-led murder mystery
Rakkasapuradol movie review: Ravi Saranga's Rakkasapuradol starring Raj B Shetty, is an intelligently written murder mystery, mixing elements of mental health conditions like Schizophrenia, supernatural connections and compelling performances.
Raj B Shetty, after showing his prowess as a writer and director with projects like Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, Toby and Swathi Muthina Malehaniye, and recently proving his genius as a producer with Su From So, has seemingly moved out of his comfort zone in acting (as a character from the Malenadu belt of Karnataka) and branched out to feature in diverse roles.
After a decent performance in 45 and an exceptional one in Landlord, here’s Raj B Shetty as Inspector Shiva in Rakkasapuradol, where he leads a show solo. While his last two films haven’t really made a mark at the box office, does Rakkasapuradol have what it takes to shine? Let’s find out.
Inspector Shiva, a drunk officer returning to duty after a break, during which he was treated for a mental health condition, is assigned to Rakkasapura. This village is traditional, lethargic, and the people are more superstitious than they are smart. In an otherwise peaceful town, one day, while the townsfolk gather at the temple to listen to the village’s holy man, a crow gets electrocuted and falls on the town god’s idol. A holy man predicts that a demon has entered the village and is asking for blood as an offering.
Soon after, a string of murders takes place, leaving the whole town trembling in fear of a “Kolli Devva”, a demon or ghost whose head is on fire (not Ghost Rider!). Can Inspector Shiva, who has his own inner demons to deal with, pull himself together and solve the mystery? Is it really something supernatural, or is there something more to it? Shiva believes this is a murder case, while the people strongly believe it’s the demon. Who is right? Who is wrong? Well-written answers to these questions, drama, an engaging background score and some interesting twists make up the plot of Rakkasapuradol.
Ravi Saranga, the writer, deserves the most appreciation for Rakkasapuradol, and so does co-writer Kranthi Kumar. On paper, he has knitted a very smartly written whodunnit murder mystery that creates intrigue, has elements of intelligent writing, and integrates drama effectively. The story, although it takes a lot of detours, doesn’t feel stretched unnecessarily. Instead, it feels crisp, fast-paced and to the point, adding impact without diluting it. There are moments where it feels like a simple way out has been taken, but the next twist makes up for it.
Ravi Saranga, the director, falls notably short. The execution fails to match the script, marred by amateurish direction and glaring flaws. These shortcomings undeniably detract from the film. The writing alone cannot conceal the director’s clear lack of finesse.
Raj B Shetty does a wonderful job as the conflicted Inspector Shiva. His performance represents the various routes the story takes before reaching its end, highlighting his range as an actor. If the multi-faceted performer continues to expand his horizons in this fashion, Raj will soon be well established as an artist with credibility beyond the confines of a region-specific story. Anirudh Bhat deserves a major shout-out as well. Less screen time, but a big impact. The rest of the cast deliver decent performances.
The film disappoints in its technical department and execution. Watching it, one repeatedly wonders just how much more thrilling this story would be had its direction matched the strength of its script. While the background score and two songs are effective, the background music ultimately becomes grating due to its overuse and jarring pitch.
The cinematography feels lazy and dated, and the editing is abrupt and choppy in several places. While the set designs, stunt work and action choreography are good, the special effects and sound design are over the top. For the film not reaching its optimum potential, these technical departments, led by the director, are largely to blame.
The Kannada film industry needs good writers, and with Ravi Saranga and Rakkasapuradol, the industry gets one. But he still has a long way to go and perhaps some unlearning to do from his experience as an assistant director to deliver a more refined cinematic experience.
That said, Rakkasapuradol, even with its few flaws, is engaging, impressive and deserves the audience’s attention. I hope this Kannada film leaves a good mark at the box office.
Raj B Shetty, after showing his prowess as a writer and director with projects like Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, Toby and Swathi Muthina Malehaniye, and recently proving his genius as a producer with Su From So, has seemingly moved out of his comfort zone in acting (as a character from the Malenadu belt of Karnataka) and branched out to feature in diverse roles.
After a decent performance in 45 and an exceptional one in Landlord, here’s Raj B Shetty as Inspector Shiva in Rakkasapuradol, where he leads a show solo. While his last two films haven’t really made a mark at the box office, does Rakkasapuradol have what it takes to shine? Let’s find out.
Inspector Shiva, a drunk officer returning to duty after a break, during which he was treated for a mental health condition, is assigned to Rakkasapura. This village is traditional, lethargic, and the people are more superstitious than they are smart. In an otherwise peaceful town, one day, while the townsfolk gather at the temple to listen to the village’s holy man, a crow gets electrocuted and falls on the town god’s idol. A holy man predicts that a demon has entered the village and is asking for blood as an offering.
Soon after, a string of murders takes place, leaving the whole town trembling in fear of a “Kolli Devva”, a demon or ghost whose head is on fire (not Ghost Rider!). Can Inspector Shiva, who has his own inner demons to deal with, pull himself together and solve the mystery? Is it really something supernatural, or is there something more to it? Shiva believes this is a murder case, while the people strongly believe it’s the demon. Who is right? Who is wrong? Well-written answers to these questions, drama, an engaging background score and some interesting twists make up the plot of Rakkasapuradol.
Ravi Saranga, the writer, deserves the most appreciation for Rakkasapuradol, and so does co-writer Kranthi Kumar. On paper, he has knitted a very smartly written whodunnit murder mystery that creates intrigue, has elements of intelligent writing, and integrates drama effectively. The story, although it takes a lot of detours, doesn’t feel stretched unnecessarily. Instead, it feels crisp, fast-paced and to the point, adding impact without diluting it. There are moments where it feels like a simple way out has been taken, but the next twist makes up for it.
Ravi Saranga, the director, falls notably short. The execution fails to match the script, marred by amateurish direction and glaring flaws. These shortcomings undeniably detract from the film. The writing alone cannot conceal the director’s clear lack of finesse.
Raj B Shetty does a wonderful job as the conflicted Inspector Shiva. His performance represents the various routes the story takes before reaching its end, highlighting his range as an actor. If the multi-faceted performer continues to expand his horizons in this fashion, Raj will soon be well established as an artist with credibility beyond the confines of a region-specific story. Anirudh Bhat deserves a major shout-out as well. Less screen time, but a big impact. The rest of the cast deliver decent performances.
The film disappoints in its technical department and execution. Watching it, one repeatedly wonders just how much more thrilling this story would be had its direction matched the strength of its script. While the background score and two songs are effective, the background music ultimately becomes grating due to its overuse and jarring pitch.
The cinematography feels lazy and dated, and the editing is abrupt and choppy in several places. While the set designs, stunt work and action choreography are good, the special effects and sound design are over the top. For the film not reaching its optimum potential, these technical departments, led by the director, are largely to blame.
The Kannada film industry needs good writers, and with Ravi Saranga and Rakkasapuradol, the industry gets one. But he still has a long way to go and perhaps some unlearning to do from his experience as an assistant director to deliver a more refined cinematic experience.
That said, Rakkasapuradol, even with its few flaws, is engaging, impressive and deserves the audience’s attention. I hope this Kannada film leaves a good mark at the box office.