Vikrant Rona review: A well-packaged visual spectacle that stands firmly on Sudeep’s shoulders

With the success of south films this year, Kannada magnum opus ‘ Vikrant Rona ’, which has been released in five Indian languages is a film that has created a lot of buzz prior to release. This is probably one of the most ambitious Kannada films to be mounted and this is evident right from the first frame. Starring Kannada star ‘Baadshah’ Kiccha Sudeep and written and directed by Anup Bhandari , ‘Vikrant Rona’ is a dark fantasy thriller that is set in the fictional village of Kamarottu located in the dense jungles of Karnataka. A series of deaths, including that of the police inspector, haunts the village of Kamarottu when in comes Inspector Vikrant Rona (Sudeep) to solve this mystery and crime. Vikrant Rona is a cigar-toting swag inspector who speaks less but is sharp as a needle and can fend off an army with his fighting skills. He is not a run-of-the-mill cop either - he reminds us a lot of Clint Eastwood in the Westerns where the tune he whistles is more haunting than the eerie village. Coming to Kamarottu, we find out that all the deaths, including those of the children, are related to a family who died suicide when they were accused of stealing the jewellery of a god from the local temple. But who is committing these murders? What is the intention? Is Vikrant Rona able to crack this tough case? At the outset, while ‘Vikrant Rona’ looks like a crime thriller - it is but it’s also fundamentally a story about a father and his daughter. The movie seems like a children’s film but it is also a love story, drama, a supernatural and horror film. Essentially it is a mix of genres and its influences range from Indiana Jones to Westerns to Pirates of the Caribbean and others. As mentioned, it is a highly ambitious project and the beauty of this film is that this mix of genres is not confusing to the audience. But what is slightly disappointing is the story narration. The first half of the film seems to be filled with a lot of elements which don’t take the story forward and is a bit directionless. It is in the second half that the story really unfolds but it’s a bit late. This makes the film slightly tedious. Had the director pushed the story in middle of the first half, it would have taken the film several notches higher. One could have also added more aspects of Hindu mythology when talking about the Brahmarakshas to make the film more rooted in the local beliefs and traditions. If the Having said that, ‘Vikrant Rona’ has really good performances, some excellent action sequences and stunning cinematography by William David. The film was shot mostly on set indoors and recreating the forest and ensuring the audience believes is real shows that the team has put in tremendous effort to achieve this. As for the characterisations and acting, ‘ Vikrant Rona ’ stands firmly on the shoulders of Kiccha Sudeep and it is he who carries the film with swag, style, cigar and acting chops. He brings life to Vikrant Rona and the emotional quotient is amped up thanks to him. Jacqueline Fernandez as Rakamma is perfect for her role and the song with Sudeep sizzles up the film as well. Nirup Bhandari (the director’s brother) and Neetha Ashok essay their roles - as Sanju and Pannu respectively - well. Like I said, Sudeep owns the film and it’s definitely worth a watch. Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars) Vikrant Rona is playing in cinemas

Latha Srinivasan is a senior journalist based in Chennai. Her passion is entertainment, travel, and dogs. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .