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‘Rudhra Garuda Purana’ movie review: Rishi gives his all in this tepid thriller


Rishi in ‘Rudhra Garuda Purana’.
| Photo Credit: Ashwin Arts/YouTube

It’s been seven years since Rishi debuted as a lead actor in Suni’s Operation Alamelamma.He played a goofy, likable common man in the comedy thriller. It was a great year for the actor as he also starred in Kavaludaari, directed by Hemanth M Rao and produced by Puneeth Rajkumar. Rishi essayed the role of a brooding, upright cop with the right amount of restraint.

The stage was set for Rishi to be a dependable actor in films with unique concepts. However, since showing promise with the twin films, Rishi hasn’t cracked a Kannada film that’s thoroughly satisfying. Sarvajanikarige Suvarnavaksha and Nodi Swamy Ivanu Irode Heegewere interesting premises undone by wobbly execution. Rishi’s latest, Rudhra Garuda Purana, is another film in that category.

It feels like the actor isn’t sure how he wants to be seen on the big screen. Perhaps there is an intention to be the next big star, which is quite natural. He wants to shake off the tag of a ‘promising actor’ and announce his arrival. In Rudhra Garuda Purana, he plays Rudra, a police officer with a no-nonsense attitude. Director K S Nandeesh gives an elaborate build-up to his hero. There is a fight sequence with a predictable outcome and punchlines with little effect. Add to it a love story that adds nothing to the plot. A series of flat sequences results in a first half that takes a while to get going.

Once the core idea kicks off, the film takes an intriguing turn. Manu, the son of an MLA, goes missing, and Rudra is tasked to investigate the case unofficially to avoid media scrutiny. Manu was last seen in on a local bus route that was officially discontinued 25 years ago.

Rudra Garuda Purana (Kannada)

Director: KS Nandeesh

Cast: Rishi, Priyanka Kumar M, Vinod Alva, Avinash, K S Shridhar

Runtime: 142 minutes

Storyline: Manu, a minister`s son, goes missing, and Officer Rudra is assigned to investigate. Rudra discovers that Manu last travelled in bus route that was discontinued 25 years ago. Where did Manu go?

A couple of more similar surprises keep us curious about the proceedings, but one good guess is what is required to predict the plot’s biggest secret. And when the film unravels its mystery, there is no shock value as the scenes only confirm our assumptions. The fact that the big reveal happens on the back of a long and convoluted screenplay pulls the film further down.

Rudhra Garuda Purana needed a plot with taut writing and clever deceptions. It ends up as a middling film with few high points. It is Rishi’s best Kannada film since Kavaludaari, yet his efforts aren’t utilised to form a solid investigative thriller. It’s not like his acting chops have been wasted, as he has made impressive outings in the Telugu series Shaitan (2023) and the recent Nandamuri Balakrishna film Daaku Maharaj. It’s just that the actor hasn’t featured in a well-rounded Kannada film since Kavaludaari.

Rudra Garuda Purana is currently running in theatres



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