Review: Virupaksha – Captivating mystical thriller
Virupaksha is a mystical horror film starring Supreme hero Sai Dharam Tej. The movie, directed by Karthik Dandu, has Samyukta Menon plays the female lead. Amidst the good buzz, the film has hit the screens, and let’s see how it is.
Virupaksha is a good movie with a different horror story. Set in a village where people believe in black magic.
Plus Points:
The first half is slow, especially the romantic track. However, the movie begins on an exciting note revealing the story, and the director wastes no time setting up the plot. Sukumar has shown his brilliance with the screenplay in the first hour.
The sound effects in Virupaksha are outstanding and will send chills down the spine. Not one, but many sequences in the film are brilliantly executed with the help of the background score. The second half will thrill and scare the viewers at the same time. The makers made sure to take advantage of the minute detailing and thus enhanced the viewing experience.
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Sai Dharam Tej sheds his mass image and plays his part neatly. He did a fair job as a person who tried to unravel the mystery in the village. The mega actor has shown a lot of maturity in his performance and did what precisely the script demands from him.
Samyukta Menon got a meaty role and did a spectacular job as well. Samyukta played the village girl role with utmost conviction. The film has ample scope for the actress to display her acting prowess. The gorgeous beauty grabbed the opportunity with both hands and gave it her all.
The writing is trenchant in most places, and the terrific background score elevates the proceedings superbly. The characterizations are powerfully written; even those who appear briefly will drive the story forward. Ajay, Sai Chand, Shymala, Soniya Singh, and Brahmaji did their roles well.
Minus Points:
After a dull first half, one would expect the second half to have the same momentum, but this part disappoints slightly. Though it has a couple of well-executed twists, the pacing dips, weakening the impact. The climax also could have been a bit better.
The romantic track in the initial parts of the movie is boring. The scenes that come in this regard could have been written better. The routine nature of the love track and the song is a speed breaker for the film’s flow. The movie is not for the faint-hearted, as it has gore sequences.
Movies like Heza and Masudha have set a standard for excellent Horror films. Unfortunately, Virupakhsa misses the charm. Even though it’s good in content, the presentation could have been better—especially the first half.
Verdict:
On the whole, Virupaksha is an engaging mystical thriller that is high on technical values. Virupaksha can be watched once in theaters. Its trump cards include an excellent storyline, commendable performances by the actors, pulse-pounding sound effects, and swell direction. Barring the slightly slow first half, this movie deserves a theatrical experience for its incredible technical values.
Our Review: 6/10.
