Vikrant Rona

Anup Bhandari's 2022 Kannada film follows an eccentric police inspector sent to investigate unexplained deaths in a village in the middle of a rainforest. The villagers attribute the events to a supernatural presence; the inspector treats everyone as a suspect. Its most striking feature is its visual construction: almost all of it takes place at night and in the rain, the palette is dark, and the village built on the set is detailed. This is an unusually large production for Kannada cinema. Against that, the screenplay falls behind the visuals; the solution to the mystery does not convince, and the dance and action sections cut in between scatter the tone. Sudeepa is strong at the centre. Who it's for: viewers who like Indian commercial cinema and mystery films driven by atmosphere. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a soundly built detective story, or avoiding content involving violence toward children.