Cast: Kichha Sudeep, Jacqueline FernandezNirup Bhandari, Neetha Ashok

Director: Anup Bhandari

Vikrant Rona it’s what you get when a star implicitly trusts the director to do what the script calls for. And, in this case, Kichcha Sudeep’s faith in director Anup Bhandari shines on screen. It’s so good to see a director put to good use, a star with a physique like Sudeep’s and a face that can look as hard as it can melt while singing a lullaby.

Anup is known for merging supernatural looks beautifully with a story or two, as we saw in his debut. Rangi Taranga. Vikrant Rona it’s like revisiting a modern world Rangi Taranga (2015), but on steroids. The place of action is again Kamarottu, in scenic Dakshina Kannada, and Anup has, to date, perfected the art of making the trees, lakes and rivers that gently present beauty in the morning speak a different language filled with horror at night.

It takes courage to sustain a film where the hero makes his entrance just at the half hour or so. And, Sudeep does just that, letting you step into the character of Inspector Vikrant Rona, the man newly appointed to take care of Kamarottu Station, where children are kidnapped and those who go missing are found hanging up. to trees with a letter. on their person and a painted face. One wonders why nobody seems to be in a state of panic in a forest village where children have disappeared.

Everything seems too conveniently placed, everyone seems to be the victim, and everyone seems to be the culprit. In the midst of these intra-family entanglements and a swashbuckling inspector who is also a loving father, the truth is revealed, layer by layer, smothering strand by strand. Even though the film is 147 minutes long, Anup takes his time to let each revelation sink in before moving on to the next piece of the puzzle.

Anup wants you to experience every gold coin moment that gathers in your head, even if some of the reveals seem overly simplistic – if you guessed it, why didn’t the previous cops there? posted, it’s a real doubt.

I watched the 3D version in Kannada (with subtitles for half of the film, strangely) and it was splendid. Some of the jump scares were too close to be comfortable and the goggles had to come off. There was no Vikrant Rona in the theater to save us! The money spent on 3D seems to have been for a good reason after all.

A reason why Vikrant Ronawhich falls somewhere between a thriller, a fantasy and even a family drama, it’s because Anup people real people with real problems – they talk about something, but hide something else. They forgive themselves easily, repent at leisure, care little about what happened in the past, knowing little that the past is not so forgiving. There is a significant plot point about caste-based bullying and discrimination, but this arc never gets its due.

But, the way the story is told is a major plus. Anup is aided by its core team of cinematographer William David, editor Ashik Kusugolli and composer Ajaneesh Loknath. David illuminates the film beautifully, allowing you to switch between sane mornings and downright crazy nights when the forest seems to come alive. Ashik cuts quickly, moving between past and present, leaving you with a guiding link to help you time travel. As for Ajaneesh, he’s back to do what he does best – a catchy background score and some lingering songs. That said, I’m still unable to understand why Jacqueline Fernandez had to be in the film, or why she had to dance. This film and its writing have been fine without it.

The supporting cast is solid and has been carefully chosen to make the film work in Southern markets – Nirup Bhandari, Neetha Ashok, Milana Nagraj in an effective cameo, Siddhu Moolimani (very good as Pakru, although I wonder why the character sticks to and reinforces established clichés), a dignified Madhusudhan Rao, the beautiful Samhita as Guddi (she’s not precocious, but just a kid who seems to know things and wants to protect her father), and he there’s also director Priya who appears onscreen as a mother pining for her missing son.

Although the film even works as a standalone creation, if you know some of the culture of Dakshina Kannada, including the Bhoota Kola, you will appreciate it better – then it ceases to be something beautifully exotic and transforms into something deep. It’s wonderful to watch local filmmakers demystify their culture on the big screen, delve into their roots, and let the popular culture spotlight shine.

It’s also good that Vikrant Rona is not a superman. He’s stronger than most, but he’s also very vulnerable. And, Sudeep does the tears well, well enough that you can buy into what his character discovers with every step forward. And, it’s a good idea that while he’s investigating a crime, an important connection (which you guessed already) happens to come from a young girl who visits him and helps him connect the possible dots, and even to see invisible points.

The women aren’t doormats, thankfully, even in a star vehicle, and each gets a bow.

Kannada cinema is on the cusp of something big right now. Interesting indie films are being made, and its stars seem to have figured out why they became stars in the first place – working in well-written films that showcased their prodigious talent and turned them into stars. It’s always good to go back to basics, and Vikrant Ronadespite all jazz, does exactly that.