Starring: Payal Rajput, Maanas, Rajeev Kanakala
Director: Pradeep Thakore
Dialogue: Thayanidhy Sivakumar
Cinematography: Anil Bandari
Music: Sagar Mahati
Producer: Yashoda Thakore
Production: Hari Priya Creations
Payal Rajput who rose to fame with the movie RX100 continues her successful streak with a series of new films. Following her recent hit Mangalavaram she returns with another female-centric movie titled Rakshana. This crime investigative thriller is directed and produced by Pradeep Thakore under the banner of Haripriya Creations and was released on June 7. Let’s see how the film is.
Plot: The story centers on Kiran (Payal Rajput), a police officer. Two years ago Kiran’s best friend Priya allegedly committed suicide by jumping off a building. Kiran, who witnessed a masked man eating a lollipop at the scene, suspects it was murder. Despite her efforts the masked man remains unidentified.
In the present day Kiran catches Arun (Manas) red-handed for harassing girls and warns him sternly. Enraged Arun retaliates by creating a fake profile of Kiran on a call girl app resulting in numerous harassing calls. As Kiran investigates Arun commits suicide but Kiran believes it’s murder. Arun records a video before his death blaming Kiran for his suicide leading to her suspension from duty.
Despite her suspension, Kiran investigates a series of accidents and suicides involving young women by suspecting they are murderers. The plot intensifies as Kiran tries to uncover if Arun’s death is connected to Priya’s and how these incidents are linked. The film’s mysteries unfold as the investigation progresses.
Performances and Technical Aspects: Payal Rajput known for her roles in commercial and romantic films impresses as a police officer. Manas from Bigg Boss effectively portrays a character with negative shades. Roshan delivers a strong performance as the villain. Supporting actors Shiva Narayana, Anand Ranga and others fit their roles well.
The cinematography offers commendable visuals. While the title song is unremarkable, Mahathi Sagar’s background music stands out, though some parts feel more suited to a horror film than a thriller. The storyline is fresh though some elements seem familiar. Pranadeep Thakore handling both directorial and production duties creates a competent film for his debut.
Analysis: The first half of the film moves quickly, covering Kiran’s life as a police officer, the cases of Arun and Priya, and Arun’s death. The suspense builds with Kiran’s suspension, creating intrigue about how she will solve the case. However, the second half drags with lengthy investigation scenes. The prolonged sequences can become tedious making the audience impatient as the film withholds key revelations until the climax.
Despite some slow parts, the film wraps up suddenly in the climax revealing all mysteries at once. Although Kiran is a police officer the film focuses more on her investigation skills than action featuring only a couple of action scenes. The movie effectively highlights a significant social issue regarding the safety of girls and women presenting a new perspective through its story. However, the film follows old school investigation format, and the second half tests your patience.
Verdict: “Rakshana” offers a mix of thrilling investigation and social commentary. Payal Rajput’s strong performance as a determined police officer stands out. While the film has an important message, its old-school formula and slow narration in the second half make it an average watch
Bottom line: The second half makes you shout, ‘Raksinchandi Please’
Rating: 1.5/5
