Known for his critically acclaimed horror debut, Mummy Save Me, and his crime thriller, Devaki, Lohith H is back with another intriguing idea in his latest release Rakshasa: time loops. Even though time-loop films have been tried before, this one is notable for its distinct horror elements as well as its relationship to his other works and an impending prequel.
With the exception of a kid performer who plays a longer role than the cameos, Prajwal Devaraj, the film’s main character, dominates Rakshasa.
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Synopsis of the film: Rakshasa
The first scene in Rakshasa, which means “demon,” shows senior police officer Shobhraj being dismissed by his boss for not taking action on a case. He asks for a day to apprehend the criminals, an infamous group that is hidden in their Andhra Pradesh tribe. Shobhraj asks Satya, a suspended police officer, for assistance because no officer is as quick and bold as him. Satya complies despite her reluctance and captures the gang.
But this is just the beginning. Rakshasa explores the legend of a demon that, after being tamed and imprisoned in a wooden box, somehow finds its way into the evidence room of a police station near a train station. When Satya unintentionally opens the wooden box and awakens the Brahmarakshasa, the movie switches to a time-loop mode. Satya is trapped in a terrible loop while the arrested criminals are in the basement of the station. He must fight the devil and his past while the black hour, which lasts precisely one hour, repeats itself.
Will Satya overcome the demon, escape the loop, and face his own history? To find out, you have to enter the Rakshasa’s time loop!
Review of Rakshasa: Evaluation and Performance
The main character in many time-loop films is caught in a cycle of recurring events, frequently with plot twists and turns to keep the viewer interested. Even though Lohith’s time-loop idea is a classic, his picture makes it unique by fusing it with terror. Horror movies usually center on haunted places, such as bungalows or buildings, where characters have to deal with paranormal forces. Rakshasa, on the other hand, features a lone protagonist who is enmeshed in an odd occurrence while fighting the demons of his own past as well as a mythological demon that was let loose during the dark hours.
Before the monster is let loose and the time loop starts, the movie takes a while to get traction. In addition to establishing a precursor to Rakshasa, which seeks to address the questions purposefully left unanswered, Lohith’s script tries to tie together aspects of his other movies.
Prajwal Devaraj takes on the unusual task of portraying a character trapped in a time loop after he played a man with Sleeping Beauty Syndrome in Gentleman. He performs a role that requires exact repetition with small modifications, bearing the majority of the film on his shoulders. It’s no small task to persuade the audience each time the cycle restarts, but he does it brilliantly.
The fact that Rakshasa leaves a lot of things unsolved means that it might not be appealing to casual viewers seeking simple thrills and chills. Beyond the time-loop theory, though, there are some truly frightening scenes in the movie. The film’s greatest strength, aside from Prajwal Devaraj, is the eerie background score by B. Ajaneesh Loknath and the excellent work of the sound design team, which greatly improves the viewing experience. Rakshasa would seem like simply another generic time-loop film without the sound, one that viewers might hope would finish right away.
Final Thoughts on the Rakshasa
Have you ever pondered the conclusion and sensation of a horror-infused time-loop movie? If you have the patience to watch the bizarre occurrence play out on screen, this one is definitely worth the time.
By – Juhi
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