Film: Vikrant Rona
Director: Anup Bhandari
Cast: Sudeep, Nirup Bhandari, Jacquline Fernandez, Neeta Ashok, Ravishankar Gowda
Duration: 2 hours 27 minutes
Stars: 4/5
For all its two-and-a-half hours of run-time, Vikrant Rona has one spectacular scene after another. It is not always action though. While there is horror in one, there is an emotional high in another and suspense and fear induced in yet another. What all of them have in common is the ability to hold the audience glued to the screen in anticipation.
The mystery of kidnappings of children and serial murders grip the remote village of Kamarottu. Police inspector Vikrant Rona arrives there in the midst of this turmoil. As he tries to unravel the mystery, more layers of suspense are added to it.
The first half of the film establishes the principal characters and plot. But what happens post-interval is a treat for the audience who were expecting something else. The story takes a completely unexpected turn with loads of intrigue added. The whodunit transforms into something bigger leading to a climax that upturns every theory the audience may have thought of.
With the right mix of suspense, family sentiments, horror and thrills, Vikrant Rona is your perfect film to enjoy with the family.
On the technical front, this film must rank among the most astute productions ever. The cinematography scores a perfect ten. You watch the entire film without wanting to blink. The BGM hits the right mark and elevates the film to a new level. The screenplay is smooth flowing with remarkably suitable dialogues everywhere.
Anup Bhandari is the star of the show with his direction. He takes story-telling to a new kind of relativity. While keeping the audience guessing, he also gives them enough to ponder upon and involve them in the suspense. Even though the story does not allow for bombs and blasts, he manages to put up some spectacular action scenes. The climax fight, arranged like a long single shot is nothing short of being spectacular.
Sudeep shoulders the film like a pro. His charisma and ability to portray any kind of character is brilliantly used here. Especially in the second half, he manages to convey the sentiment scenes like no one else.
Overall, there is tremendous effort from everyone involved in the film. There is so much nuances, subtleties and detailing in the film that it leaves you wondering at the amount of work that has gone into putting this project together. Vikrant Rona entertains and delivers what it promises. There is something for everybody in it.
