Rakkasapuradhol (Kannada)
The number of genre clichés in Ravi Saranga’s Rakkasapuradhol is unmistakably high. A skilful cop has recently hit the bottle and is in and out of suspension. A haunting personal past sharply pokes at him at all times. A new posting takes him to a mysterious town. A series of murders soon jolts him into action, his sanity crumbles, more crimes take place, and on and on. It’s almost regrettable at this point to put out a thriller featuring a cop who is happy with a relatively unblemished private life. So Shiva, the above-described character played by Raj B Shetty, fits the bill just as ordered, and off we go on a new whodunnit journey in and around the quaint town of Rakkasapura.
But why not make the most of this obligation, says writer-director Ravi Saranga, holding the genre checklist close to his chest. His is a world designed from top to bottom to serve a plot that is ready to announce itself from the absolute beginning. Characters do not have strong, individual personalities as much as they exist for very specific purposes in the narrative. Dialogue is employed solely to dispense information and clues, and nothing more. Arjun Janya’s background score is cranked to maximum volume so that every cue is communicated in a reddened-face-like manner. The conception of the film is tight and almost machine-like, yet there is a refreshing economy behind every decision made, and the final ‘product’ manages to leave an impression.
Rakkasapuradhol is aware of the overabundance of mystery-thrillers under the ether today and, therefore, does not bother itself with too much spoon-feeding (though the overall tone of the film borders on exaggerated or melodramatic). In fact, it even takes a few leaps forward by opting for a protagonist who is talented, sure, but also prominently affected and vulnerable. Shiva’s psychological woes become major talking points within the story, as multiple characters refer to his condition or his use of medication.
Neither does the writing give him sudden surges of superpowers and grand redemption arcs to lift the intensity. Yes, there are the typical genius-detective moments, as well as fight sequences that he wins, but they are still organically fitted into the story that moves briskly across the 127-minute runtime. Raj B Shetty is not challenged, per se, as an actor, but the film again scores a few points by simply letting his character walk the line, typecasting Shiva to an optimum level.
The plot, then, remains in focus throughout. Rakkasapura is defined as a place of little to no crime, but the catch is that there are whispers of witchcraft, revered deities and priests, and a peculiar Kolli Devva or Torch Ghost (the classic two-horned demon, with a flaming head), constantly emerging from its different corners. Kolli Devva has always gone after young women, finding them alone, and Shiva’s entry into the scheme of things somehow coincides with its return to form. Soon enough, women are mysteriously disappearing and later found dead, leaving the new cop in town to scratch his head for answers. Red herrings are thrown in, different characters come forward as suspects, and even the supernatural enters the fray to make Shiva’s life busier than ever.
Another thing that inadvertently works in the film’s favour is its weak start, which sets the bar of expectation quite low. The collective acting performances feel hammy, the makeup and prosthetics work is visibly tacky, and the general temper is too loud for its own good. But these shortcomings are duly brushed aside by Ravi Saranga’s clear intent, which, despite playing rigidly by the book, doesn’t allow the film to second-guess its own personality. As the writing finds its groove, the storytelling becomes more seamless, and the investigation unfolding at the centre neatly sustains the intrigue throughout. Rakkasapuradhol really comes into its own in the second half, and it’s a kind of win that it manages to recover from its early missteps.
Yet one walks away with the feeling that not everything adds up as intended. The internal logic is left with a few gaping holes, and key characters don’t carry sufficient justifications for their severe actions. What are the origins of the Kolli Devva? Did it really exist? Or was it made up for someone’s personal gain? These, and a few other pertinent questions, go unanswered in the film, which ends up relying a bit too much on flashy pyrotechnics (quite literally) instead of building an immersive and believable world.
Anirudh Bhat gets to put on a show in the clutch moments, with the rest of the ensemble — B Suresh, Gopalkrishna Deshpande, Archana Kottige, Jahangeer MS, and others — doing a reasonable job. William David's cinematography is adequate, and Ravi Varma's (also the film's producer) action choreography gets the platform it needs. Arjun Janya's music, as already pointed out, would have benefitted from greater restraint to let some subtlety seep in.
In the huge swarm of serial killers and downbeat cops, Rakkasapuradhol does not do much to set itself apart. Where the film still works is in staying on a set course from start to finish, while also making a few interesting choices along the way. It boasts a unique, fallible protagonist, a good amount of thrills, and a packaging that just about suffices.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.