'Rakasa' Movie Review

Cast: Sangeeth Shobhan, Nayan Sarika, Vennela Kishore, Getup Srinu, Tanikella Bharani, Ashish Vidyarthi, Annapurnamma, and others

Music: Anudeep Dev

Cinematography: Raju Edurolu

Producers: Niharika Konidela, Umesh Kumar Bansal

Writing & Direction: Manasa Sharma

Niharika Konidela already proved she has great taste as a producer with Committee Kurrollu. Now, she’s back with Raakasa, introducing Manasa Sharma as director and starring MAD fame Sangeeth Shobhan. The film arrived in theaters today carrying a good amount of hype. Lets jump in and see if it actually lives up to the buzz!

Story: Veerababu alias Veeru (Sangeet Shobhan), who works in America, returns to his hometown with the intention of marrying his childhood friend Subbalakshmi (Nayan Sarika). But when he arrives, he finds that she is already ready to marry someone else. In his attempts to stop this wedding, Veeru gets into a series of complications.

Things take a dark turn when he ends up in a situation where he is to be offered as a sacrifice to a demon that has been lurking in a fort adjacent to the village for several decades. Once Veeru steps into the fort as the intended sacrifice, what kind of situations does he face there? Is there really a demon inside? What is his story? Can Veeru, who went in as a sacrifice, manage to save his own life? Will he be able to meet Subbalakshmi again?

All these questions will be answered only on the big screen.

Narrative-Analysis:

Many filmmakers think that for a comedy film, they don't need to rack their brains too much over the story. Assuming audiences won't care much about the plot either, they tend to handle things casually. But they fail to realize that a solid story can take comedy to a whole different level.

After watching the teaser and trailer of 'Rakasa', there were hopes that this wasn't just another average comedy film, that it would take audiences into some new world and make them laugh. While that world isn't entirely new, it does contain elements rarely seen in average comedy films. However, the non-serious and slightly silly way the story is handled makes 'Rakasa' feel too lightweight. That said, there's no shortage of laughs. Sangeet Shobhan, who had audiences in splits with the 'Mad' franchise, brings his signature style of mischief once again. With Vennela Kishore and Getup Sreenu's comedy timing, along with funny situations and punches, 'Rakasa' doesn't disappoint on the entertainment front. However, the illogical and overly convenient storytelling does reduce the film's overall impact. If you're looking for a timepass comedy, 'Rakasa' is worth a look.

Just as a villain's strength elevates the hero's character, in horror or horror-comedy films, the more dangerous the ghost/demon feels, the more fear it generates and it's from that fear that the laughs emerge. In 'Rakasa', writer Manasa Sharma has put together an interesting setup on paper; a village, an adjacent fort, a demon inside it, a curse on the village, a tradition of human sacrifice, the hero accidentally becoming part of that tradition and getting trapped in the fort while fighting the demon. But the way it's presented on screen isn't tight enough. The demon never manages to evoke fear at any point, there's no suspense even when the hero and company are trapped in the fort, the conflicts aren't strong, and the way they're resolved is very ordinary. This makes it impossible to take 'Rakasa' seriously at any stage. You can imagine the kind of impact a film has when there's not even a trace of tension or fear while dealing with demons.

That said, despite all the storytelling flaws, laughs are never in short supply. Sangeet Shobhan, Vennela Kishore, and Getup Sreenu ensure that every time they appear on screen, non-stop punches keep smiles on the audience's faces. Sangeet entertains throughout the first half with Getup Sreenu's support, and Vennela Kishore joins in during the second half. The trio's antics inside the fort are the major highlight of the film. The events in the village during the first half generate some intrigue, but the inability to convey the village curse clearly and effectively weakens the story midway. The demon's presentation inside the fort makes 'Rakasa' feel even lighter. However, the goal of making audiences laugh in every scene is largely achieved. The emotional angle related to the demon is another plus point, in fact, it's the best episode in the film. Had the entire story been crafted with the same effectiveness, 'Rakasa' would have been on a different level altogether. If you're looking purely for entertainment and a few good laughs, 'Rakasa' is worth a try.

Performances:

Sangeet Shobhan once again showcased his strength in comedy. Living up to the belief that his presence guarantees a minimum level of laughs, Sangeet delivered humor even in ordinary scenes with his signature comedy timing. Just like how Allari Naresh in his prime could make audiences laugh with anything he did, Sangeet is now able to bring smiles to audiences' faces in the same way. His punches resonate well with today's younger generation.

Heroine Nayan Sarika also impressed. Rather than giving her a token role just for the sake of having a heroine, director Manasa has crafted her character to be pivotal to the story. Sarika too did justice to the role and won appreciation with her fine performance.

Vennela Kishore and Getup Sreenu delivered good laughs. Tanikella Bharani showed his experience. There's not much to say about Ashish Vidyarthi. Annapurnamma and the rest of the cast were okay.

Technicalities:

Despite being a small film, 'Rakasa' is technically sound. The production values are above what you'd expect from a small-scale comedy film. The sets and VFX have been crafted well within a limited budget.

Anudeep Dev's background score stands as a major strength of the film. The bit song and BGM during the scenes portraying the demon's emotional side were heartfelt and moving. The remaining songs are decent. Raju Edurolu's camerawork is impressive.

Manasa Sharma's story isn't great, but it's not something you'd entirely dismiss either. Many elements in the story feel silly and rushed. The fact that everything moves along too conveniently and nothing feels serious enough is a weakness. However, Manasa did manage to pull off enough comedy to make you overlook these flaws. Her taking feels trendy.

Finally: Rakasa, worth it for a few laughs.

Rating: 2.75/5