Director Hemanth Kumar’s film, starring Sunil Rao’s comeback, is different from the regular Kannada commercial potboiler, which usually oozes with songs, action and emotion.
Director Hemanth Kumar’s film, starring Sunil Rao’s comeback, is different from the regular Kannada commercial potboiler, which usually oozes with songs, action and emotion.
It seems that Kannada cinema has finally understood that good content is a prime requirement to gain audience’s appreciation, and star power alone cannot do that anymore.
Thurthu Exodus, which means ’emergency exit’ in Kannada, is one such use. The film, which marks the return of actor Sunil Rao after 12 years, is a coming-of-age fantasy drama. Sunil plays a dead man named Vikram, who gets a chance to relive the last three days of his life, and decides what he wants to achieve in the aimless existence he previously led . Vikram believes that this opportunity is a dream and continues to be himself. The events that take place over these three days, along with some magical realism, form the crux of the story.
A lot of credit goes to cinematographer Prayag Mukundan and director Hemant Kumar for creating a sense of closeness on screen through amazing visual effects. Hemant uses a 360-degree hyper-lapse shot technique to show how far and how quickly he can go in three days, instead of opting for the usual montage shots. Interestingly, it is said to be a 20 second shot which captures the entire time frame.
It also becomes a spiritual journey for the character, as the last three days are a time-loop of sorts for Vikram; He remains in this loop till he finds a purpose in those three days.
The film is different from the regular Kannada commercial potboilers, which are usually influenced by songs, action and emotion. Its strength lies in its unique premise and narrative. But although the concept of time loop is new to Kannada cinema, the audience gets tired after a point, as some scenes are repeated; The length could have been trimmed to make it more viewable.
However, when it comes to acting, Sunil Rao excels as Vikram, a character who belongs to the current middle-class society. Vikram is intelligent, yet, happy to be stuck in a rut. Sunil has proved that he is not tired in a span of a decade. Similarly, Raj B Shetty, who plays a cab driver named Shivu, also performs exceptionally well. Though his role in the film is small, he has contributed a lot with his signature dialogue delivery and mannerisms. While Achyut Kumar manages to tickle the funny bones too, the rest of the cast in Sudharani, Sanyukta Hegde and Hita Chandrasekhar perform well enough in their own way.
turthu exodus This is for audiences who are tired of formulaic films; In fact, it is best suited for OTT platforms, where people can comfortably watch and taste the content and narrative style.
Tharthu Exodus is currently running in theaters