The trick with a prequel is that you have to impress viewers who have watched the original film, and those who are new to its cinematic world. So, first, a round of congratulations to director Narthan, who charmed in 2017 with his debut Mufti, and now with its prequel Bhairathi Ranagal, starring Shiva Rajkumar, Rahul Bose, Rukmini Vasanth and Chhaya Singh, among others.
There’s a reason Shiva Rajkumar or Shivanna, as he is more endearingly known, has the place he has in Kannada cinema. Many films tend to focus on his image to establish Shivanna’s character, forgetting what makes the 62-year-old Kannada star tick — a mix of reasonable brawn with loads of heart, one and off-screen. This is one of the reasons why the actor’s scenes in the Tamil film Jailer saw audiences clap and whistle even during repeat watches. After a long while, you see vintage Shiva Rajkumar on the big screen with this film, which not only allows him to wield weapons with finesse, but also gifts him some quiet moments on screen, a dignified middle-aged romance with Dr Vaishali (a very stately Rukmini Vasanth) without songs, and a fair bit of remorse too, when he occasionally remembers how far he’s travelled from where he began. It is Dr Vaishali who reminds him of the journey he’s had, and she decides to part ways. Again, credit to director Narthan for not making her the villain here, and allowing Ranagal a quick moment to ponder.
The scene of action is Ronapura, a dry, arid township which once suffered from lack of water, and now suffers because it is caught in a pitched battle for its high-quality iron ore. In the middle of things is Bhairathi Ranagal, who was sent to juvenile detention and later prison because he took the law into his own hands as a child, after repeated petitions did not work. Now, 21 years later, he’s a lawyer thrown into a world where nothing much has changed.
He went to prison so his people could get water; now, they are employees of an iron magnate (Parande, played by the frowning, menacing Rahul Bose) who frowns upon unions and where employee welfare is last on the list of priorities. Helping him keep people in check is his star henchman played by Shabeer Kallarakkal (remember Dancing Rose in Sarpatta Parambarai who was grace personified in the boxing ring?), who is all brute force. So, Ranagal, who relied on the rule of law and his white shirt and black coat to deliver justice, turns to a black shirt, black lungi, and a long sword to dispense justice in his style. Once he begins, the long list of people eliminated rankles. At one stage, you wonder if Ranagal even realises why he chose the path of violence.
He ends up killing people who were once very close to him, including his brother-in-law — giving sister Vedavati (Chhaya Singh) one more reason to cry in the film — and Gopalakrishna Deshpande’s former union leader character who falls in love with money. Just to let you know he’s still batting for something right.
Ideally, watch this film and then go back to watching/rewatching Mufti, which is slightly better crafted than this. But then, seven years is a long time, and that Shiva Rajkumar was game enough to revisit this violent premise again at his age is commendable. You also almost forgive the violence because you know what eventually happens if you’ve watched Mufti.
Cinematography by I Naveen Kumar is one of the reasons the film escapes any comparison to the KGF universe, which is by now the first point of reference for any film that dreams big and is set against a backdrop of mining. He lights up the film beautifully, and while he does not shy away from darkness, there’s enough spotlight on the sharp sun and the arid terrain, and the joy amid the desperation.
Akash Hiremath deserves a pat for keeping the proceedings taut and pacy. The film does not feel bulky at any stage. Ravi Basrur’s music and background score is a lovely accompaniment to the movie, but, at certain points, the volume is amped up a bit too much.
All that apart, I am really looking forward to seeing what Narthan writes next.
Subha J Rao is an entertainment journalist covering Tamil and Kannada cinema and is based out of Mangaluru, Karnataka.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.