Raakaasa Review

Good things don't necessarily have to be perfect - and that holds true for movies too. Even if it's not good all around, one specific aspect - comedy, for example - can make it work. Over the past two years, many horror comedies and horror thrillers have been released in Telugu, but only a few horror thrillers have truly stood out. The latest noteworthy one is the Shambhala. Horror comedies, however, haven't left much of a mark. But that's all set to change with Raakaasa. Is it perfect? Far from it. But entertaining for sure.

Veeru (Sangeeth Shobhan) returns from the USA to his village to marry his childhood girlfriend, but soon learns that she is getting married to someone else. He makes a last-ditch effort to stop the wedding but fails. Frustrated, he gets drunk and dozes off at a nearby deserted fort.

The villagers later spot him there. For years, they have believed that the raakaasa (demon) of the fort demands a human sacrifice every few years. At that moment they also see ominous signs in the sky that signal the fateful time, and choose Veeru as the sacrifice.

The movie starts off by confusing you - you don't really understand what it's trying to convey. Initially it feels like a romantic film, with a man doing everything he can to win his childhood love. Then the movie shifts its focus - perhaps the hero is fighting against superstitions. It even drops a few hints suggesting there might be an angle of greed to it. Eventually, you realize that the film is about none of the above.

The lore of the raakaasa is uninspired and unoriginal. What's more, the story doesn't quite hold up. The way the makers place the raakaasa myth in 2026 feels irrational, and its execution comes across as artificial. You never really learn why the raakaasa exists in the first place. And the ending, which attempts to glorify and humanize the demon, feels laughable.

But none of that matters. Despite its many imperfections, you actually enjoy the film. While your left brain is complaining throughout, your right brain is having all the fun.

This also happens to be a rare Telugu movie that starts off uninspiring but becomes more and more entertaining as it progresses. Not for the story of course, but for how well the situational comedy is handled. At one point you begin to feel that this is no longer a horror comedy, but just a comedy. And then comes the mother of all sequences set in the fort. The quartet - Veeru, his friend Balu (Getup Srinu), his girlfriend Subbu (Nayan Sarika) and Vennela Kishore's character (who wanders into the fort; his name isn't mentioned in the film) - enter the fort, and the movie builds into pure comedy until the very end.

The fort sequence is so long (in a good way) and so full of fun that it feels like the makers had only this in mind. They've woven everything else - the story of the ancient king, the raakaasa lore, the not-so-impressive love story and more - around it to turn it into a full-length feature.

Indeed, the title is misleading because the demon is nothing more than just a plot point. Despite the film being touted as a horror comedy, the horror elements are few and far between, and not particularly original either. The comedy, however, as we mentioned, is very real.

Sangeeth Shobhan, as the lead, effectively carries the comedy ensemble. He impresses with his natural comic timing and proves more than capable of switching from comedy to panic with ease. Getup Srinu's character as Veeru's constant companion delivers a wide range of comic expressions and even mimics the Kalakeyas (the savage tribe from Baahubali).

Srinu and Vennela Kishore are definite standouts, too. While Srinu's role is as substantial as that of Shobhan, Kishore's is limited to the fort. The good part, however, is that you get to see Kishore in a completely different getup. He, too, brings plenty of laughs with his signature one-liners.

Other actors, including Brahmaji, Tanikella Bharani, Ashish Vidyarthi and Nayan Sarika, have minor roles that aren't particularly noteworthy.

The VFX used to bring the raakaasa to life aren't great but they serve their purpose. The editing is sleek, though the 133-minute runtime could have been trimmed further. Certain sequences could have been completely removed - a directorial choice rather than an editorial one - which would have benefited the film. The art direction of the fort is quite good and creates an immersive, almost transporting feel.

The background score and music are decent.

As mentioned earlier, the story of Raakaasa is weak, and the movie wouldn't stand on its own without the comedy. So don't expect a smooth, impactful narrative. If you go in for some pure, superbly executed comedy, however, the film won't disappoint you.