BOTTOM LINE
A Mystic Ride
OUR RATING
2.75/5
CENSOR
A, 2h 25m
What Is the Film About?
Set in the village of Rudravanam, a chain of mysterious deaths happens one after the other, which are linked to black magic. But is it really the reason, or is there more to what meets the eye?
Virupaksha is a thriller that decodes the truth behind the deaths. How Surya (Sai Dharam Tej) solves is the movie’s basic premise, whereas his track with Nandini forms the subplot.
Performances
Sai Dharam Tej is back on the big screen after a long gap. Virupaksha is his first outing post-recovery. The actor, therefore, is definitely not at his peak physicality wise as he looks heavy most of the time. He is particularly awkward on screen in running shots which could have been minimised.
Coming to acting, there is nothing challenging in Virupaksha. It requires a confident presence to navigate the proceedings, and Sai Dharam Tej provides it, and that’s it. He is one of the many characters in the movie. Credits to him for sticking to the story and not forcing typical heroism on his part. It helps the cause a great deal.
Samyukta Menon starts on an ordinary note, especially in the first half. She has less screen time, and even the scenes involving a love track have no impact. However, things change, and she surprises where it matters (climax). Again, it is not extraordinary or memorable, but it works well.
Analysis
Karthik Dandu makes his directorial debut with Virupaksha. It is a mystic horror thriller set in a village in the past. The setup and genre bring freshness as they aren’t usual.
Virupaksha hooks from the opening itself. The sequence involving the black magic at the start sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the proceedings and also for the audience concerning the expectations.
Another significant aspect is the Rudravanam village and the world created by the director. They are the elements that engage the audience and hold their interest. It helps overcome the tepid love track, even though brief one in the first half.
The real deal lies in the main track involving the murders and finding the reason behind them. They are done well and have enough meat to hold the attention. The interval bang, too, is neatly done, as it makes one look forward to the second half with intrigue.
The second half carries the momentum from the first half. Things move briskly, but the problem becomes apparent immediately. While doing well in sticking to the content, the director does the same with the formula related to the genre.
The narrative progresses predictably and on expected lines. It lacks spine-chilling moments or genuine thrill moments. Take the entire stretch of finding Bhaivara and other links related to the deaths, for example. They are at a decent level but don’t go to the next level. Whatever feeling we get or the high that is partially felt is mainly due to the excellent technical work on display.
Similarly, the character’s behaviour change from the first to the second half also has a formulaic thought. Things like these don’t let Virupaksha go to the next level and leave one spellbound, more so considering the thundering work technically.
The climax after all the build-up is satisfactory. Again, with slight trimming, it could have been better. As it is, there is nothing big to complain about except what it could have been.
Overall, Virupaksha is a genre flick that sticks to the genre out and out. It is commendable as it features a known hero. However, it relies heavily on the technical work to pull through more than twists and thrills, which is decent. If you like thrillers with a mix of mysticism and horror elements, Virupaksha is a neat one-time watch for the weekend.
Performances by Others Actors
Virupaksha has an impressive supporting cast. We have many known faces like Sai Chand, Rajeev Kanakala, Ajay, Sunil, Brahmaji, Kamal Kamaraju, Anchor Shyamala etc., donning different get-ups and looking far from what they appear routinely. And that’s the good thing about them. When it comes to acting or memorable sequences, there aren’t many. Everyone has a bits and pieces role, and they all chip in to make things work, but none, in particular, stand out. Still, they are essential to the narrative and complete the movie with their presence.
Music and Other Departments?
Technically Virupaksha is slick and deserves a huge round of applause. The sound design and the background score are excellent. B Ajneesh Loknath does a fabulous job. His work elevates even ordinary moments—the sound design (Raja Krishnan) further aids big time in creating the spookiness alive throughout. The VFX work is not heavy but is done well, helping the proceedings.
Shamdat Sainudeen’s cinematography is good. Most of the movie happens in a village set up, which is captured neatly. More importantly, the world of Rudravanam is brought alive through these technical works; that is where Virupaksha grabs the attention. The writing is alright, with parts of it working.
Highlights?
Story
Screenplay
Sound Mixing & BGM
Technical Work
Drawbacks?
Missing Spine Chilling Moments
Lack Of Genuine Thrills (Second half)
No Impactful Performances (Except Climax)
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes for the most part
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Virupaksha Movie Review by M9News
Final Report:
Virupaksha’s second half maintains momentum thanks to the terrific technical work. They breathe life into the proceedings. In the end, Virupaksha offers enough for genre lovers to make it a one-time watch.
First Half Report:
Virupaksha’s first half is engaging keeping few minor issues aside. The focus on the story works as sound design and BGM outshines everything and everyone else.A convincing second half is now needed after all the build-up. Let’s see.
— Virupaksha starts with a black magic episode in a village, hinting at the main plot right from the start.
Staty tuned for Virupaksha movie review and report from U.S. premiere.
Virupaksha Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Samyuktha Menon
Producer: BVSN Prasad
Banners: Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra & Sukumar Writings
Screenplay: Sukumar
Director: Karthik Dandu
Cinematographer: Shamdat Sainudeen
Music Director: B. Ajaneesh Loknath
Editor: Navin Nooli
Production Designer: Sri Nagendra Tangala
Creative Producer: Satish BKR
Executive Producer: Ashok Bandreddi
VFX: DTM Lavan Kusan
Sound Design: Sync Cinema
