Movie: Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana
Rating: 2.25/5
Banner: Million Dreams Creations
Cast: Shiva Kandukuri, Rashi Singh, Arun Kumar, Devi Prasad, Varshini Soundararajan, Siva Kumar, Shafi, Sivannarayana, and others
Music: Sricharan Pakala, Vijai Bulganin
DOP: Goutham G
Editor: Garry Bh
Production Designer: Roshan Kumar
Producers: Snehal Jangala, Shashidhar Kasi, Karthik Mudumbi
Written and Directed by: Purushotham Raaj
Release Date: March 01, 2024
Along with Varun Tej’s “Operation Valentine” and Vennela Kishore’s “Chari 111”, Shiva Kandukuri starrer “Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana” also hit the theaters.
Let’s find out its merits and demerits.
Story:
Many murders occur in a village near the border of Andhra and Karnataka. All murders exhibit a consistent pattern - a woman is decapitated and a replica is left at the crime scene. Authorities believe a serial killer is responsible, but the case remains unsolved after 18 years.
The young village detective Bhaskar Narayana (Shiva Kandukuri) views the murders as a chance to gain fame by solving them.
After an extensive investigation, he finds no evidence of murders but determines that they are actually human sacrifices. Who is responsible for these dreadful crimes? Will Bhaskar Narayana ultimately identify the perpetrator?
Artistes’ Performances:
In a role devoid of heroism, Shiva Kandukuri does justice. He has finally begun to display some easiness in front of the camera. Rashi Singh's portrayal as the hero's love interest and village reporter is decent.
The film, set in a village, features numerous characters, yet only a select few get registered. Among them are Shafi, Varshini, Devi Prasad, and Sivvannarayana. They fulfill the necessary actions for the characters.
Technical Excellence:
The production and technical values are at a basic level. The music and sound mixing are dissonant. The dialogues and editing lack precision.
Highlights:
Some suspense elements
The mythological aspect
Drawback:
Too basic technical work
Lengthy and drags on
Somewhat disorienting narration
Analysis
Serial killer films, horror thrillers, and murder mysteries set in villages with strange occurrences have become very common on streaming platforms. The majority of OTT content depends on these elements. It is a huge challenge for filmmakers to introduce new and unexplored elements to their stories created for the theatrical experience.
"Bhootaddam Bhaskara Narayana" starts off resembling typical OTT content but becomes more engaging as it progresses. The writer-director has added some novelty to this crime drama by incorporating mythological allusions. This is the film's best asset.
The plot becomes more complex when the main character decides to investigate the murders further. As new developments unfold, the film starts to introduce some excitement. The first half of the movie is relatively boring, but the film becomes more engaging in the later part, mainly because of its mythological elements.
The plot twist is clever, but it won't surprise us. Today's audiences are accustomed to watching crime investigative thrillers on OTT platforms. It is easy for anyone to guess the culprit, but they still wait for the revelation.
Although the film has these positive aspects, it lacks a refined narration and its production and technical values are very basic. The comedy segments appear contrived. Some sequences also look farcical.
Overall, “Bhoothaddam Bhaskar Narayana” is a somewhat passable crime thriller. Although the narrative was initially jarring and boring, it becomes more engaging in its later portions.
Bottom line: Okay