Virupaksha
Virupaksha is a form of the Hindu god Shiva. In this tale, director Karthik Varma Dandu, co-writer with Sukumar, weaves the story of Surya (Sai Dharam Tej) who becomes the unexpected protector of Rudravanam, a village deep in an Andra Pradesh forest. The story begins in 1979 when a new family moves into the village. Soon afterwards children begin dying. The father practices black magic, believing he can heal his crippled wife. When superstitious villagers suspect occult practices have caused the children’s deaths, a mob forms. The mother and father are tied to a tree and burned alive, but not before the mother pronounces a curse on the village. Fast forward to 1991, our hero Surya is bringing his mother to the village after fifteen years on the occasion of the annual fair. Soon after arriving, he meets a beautiful, but mischievous village girl, Nandini (Samyuktha), who is subject to sudden and violent convulsions. Then, a series of eerie events start to occur. This is a well-written and slightly different horror story. I enjoyed the vivid characters and the many details involving religious practices and superstitions. Virpaksha is a good folk tale with some decent twists along the way. Virupaksha is streaming on Netflix. Released April 2023
Devil: The British Secret Agent
Devil is set in the fictitious British Province of Rasapadu in 1945, before Indian independence. Our hero works for the British as a secret agent under the name Agent Devil. Played by Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Devil is a handsome, suave, and well-dressed charmer. He is sent as an undercover policeman to investigate the murder of Vijaya, a Zamindar’s daughter. Vijaya’s father has been charged with her murder. Devil’s real investigation is to uncover members of the Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army working to bring Subhash Chandra Bose, their leader, back to India. Zamindar’s house is a hotbed of intrigue. When Devil meets Nyshadha, played by beautiful Samyuktha Menon, he quickly falls in love. Is he just using her to betray her to the British or is he really in love with her? The movie is filled with many characters and plot twists revealed in quick succession. Parts of the story are way over-the-top, such as the action scenes of one against hundreds. This movie does not take itself too seriously, which makes it an enjoyable watch. The director’s credit goes to Abhishek Nama and Naveen Medaram. “Devil: The British Secret Agent” is streaming on Amazon Prime. Released December 2023.
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