Karaka movie review

CAST.               : Ashok Raj, Spandana, Shlaga Saligrama,                                     Madhav Karkada, Ugramm Manju



DIRECTOR.      : Ravi Basrur


Ravi Basrur's Kataka, which is being backed by Puneeth
Rajkumar, has drawn a lot of curiosity after the release of its spooky teaser trailer. It hinted that the film deals with some dark arts being practised by people in coastal India. The film is well under two hours and mixes emotions with scares to entice viewers. The end result is a film that does manage to go beyond the one-time-watch tag, though it could have had lesser theatrics in terms of performances.


The film begins on a happy note with a family moving to a
new home in a new town. The daughter, though, seems to be preoccupied and there's something bothering her. The film has ample scenes of cultural practices in coastal Karnataka, which are a treat to the senses. The film then moves from light to dark as we are introduced to the murky world of dark arts and this reveals us to discovering some mysteries that are unable to comprehend to the logical mind. The film may have some cliches that are found in horror thrillers but it also tries to show some light on some exorcism practices in the country.

The film scores well technically with excellent background
score and cinematography. The performance by the actors
also is natural, barring some scenes that seem excessively
dramatic. The film scores high on the emotional quotient
and works well with the family viewers. There are spooks
and thrills that can seem a bit much for the weak-hearted,
so watch the film at your discretion.


The film is long enough to satisfy the audience and not too short to make them short-changed. The young Shlagha is the star of the show. She is an amazing talent.


Another actor who leaves a big impression in Madhav Karkada. A film where all the actors know their job is a treat to watch. Ashok Raj and Spandana are the other main actors who make Kataka worthwhile.


There is no ambiguity about ghosts. They exist and succumb to manipulation by the right persons and their magic. So appeasement of the gods and bashing of the non-believers is to be expected. There is some overdoes of sermonising on belief. The irony of having to believe in ghosts to be a believer in gods is not lost.




Review master rating.   : 3/5