Vikrant Rona , Sudeep’s Swag Is Huge Fun

Vikrant Rona

Starring Sudeep ,Nirup Bhandari, Neetha Ashok, and Jacqueline Fernandez

Directed  by  Anup Bhandari

Rating: *** ½

More than anything else,  Vikrant Rona is a treat  for the fans  of  Kannada star Sudeep who is cast  a  mysterious plainclothed cigar-smoking single-parent cop in a remote village in an indeterminate part  of  the country  at time when there were radios , vintage  cars  and  item songs by  Jacqueline Fernandez.

 I am  guessing  this is the 1970s . Although Sudeep’s swag is timeless. He  enters  the  plot  a good fifteen minutes after  the start of the startling theatrics.  And what a grand  entry! The  introductory  fight sequence on board a swaying lurching ship  is shot with the panache  that  the 3D technique craves for but seldom gets.The  climactic action sequence  where Sudeep[ takes on two supernatural adversaries is shot in the spirit of  lingering lunacy. The madness  will just it you  from every corner. There is  no getting away  from it.

Technically,  Vikrant Rona  is on solid ground.Anup Bhandari’s  direction has the scale and sweep of  Rajamouli and  Prashanth Neel. But he  could  have toned-down the  performances  which  frequently seem designed as  a street-play rather than  a slick motionpicture experience. Also  Bhandari’s screenplay, though based on caste  oppression, seems  incoherent at  key plot points, sacrificing celerity  for clarity.

All the shortcomings fall by the wayside when weighed against the  film’s technical cockiness. This is an arrogant imperiously selfconfident   work that knows  its  audience. The frames are  saturated with  a glow of overripe colours.  The sequences  , not always  coherent,  are  more  into  being trippy than commonsensical.

 In one sequence   two youngsters, twins if you must know, are  seen in a darkly-lit home where they are chased by  an old evil  spirit.Why are they  in that place? Why is evil spirit chasing them? Anyone  asking these  questions  know nothing about the anti-logistic movement  of a film where the audience is asked  to be swept into a tidal wave of  visual experiences. Jump right in. You won’t regret  it.