Vrusshabha Review: A Misguided Reincarnation Drama That Fails to Engage
By anrwriting ✍🏽 | Film critic
Rating: 2/5
Starring legendary actor Mohanlal, Vrusshabha is directed by Nandakishore, known for Pogaru, and features Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead. Made simultaneously in Malayalam and Telugu, the film arrived with modest expectations—but even those remain largely unmet.
Story:
Adidev (Mohanlal) begins experiencing disturbing visions recurring dreams of murder, severed heads, and forgotten violence. These hallucinations begin to affect his mental and physical health.
Seeking a solution, his son Tej (Samarjit), accompanied by Damini (Nayan Sarika), travels to Devanagari. Soon, Tej too starts recalling fragments of a mysterious past life.
What is this past that relentlessly haunts Adidev and Tej? Why are they unable to escape it? How does it impact their present and can they break free from it? These questions form the core of Vrusshabha.
Performances:
Mohanlal, surprisingly, appears less like a central protagonist and more like a detached character artist. For most of the film, he seems oddly disconnected from the narrative, leaving audiences puzzled about his purpose.
Samarjit shows promise and possesses the essential qualities to establish himself as an actor. However, a stronger script selection would have served him better.
Nayan Sarika delivers expressive performances as usual, but her character is poorly written and adds little value to the story, preventing any real impact.
Ragini Dwivedi makes a comeback in a notable role after a long gap. While her character has potential, limited screen time dilutes its effectiveness.
Actors like Ali, Ajay, Garuda Ram, and Balagam Sanjay appear briefly and exit without leaving any impression.
Technical Aspects:
Technically, Vrusshabha is extremely weak. The visual effects—particularly the AI-generated Shiva visuals and battlefield backgrounds—are amateurish and dated.
Sam C.S.’s background score is passable in parts but fails to elevate scenes or provide emotional depth.
Art direction, costumes, and graphics are all subpar and feel hastily assembled, giving the impression of a rushed production lacking cinematic ambition.
Director Nandakishore unnecessarily complicates an otherwise routine storyline by forcefully inserting a reincarnation angle. Instead of adding intrigue, the concept only creates narrative confusion, making the viewing experience cumbersome.
As both writer and director, Nandakishore fails to engage or entertain the audience, resulting in a disjointed and exhausting film.
Analysis:
Every film has flaws but strong positives often balance them out. Unfortunately, Vrusshabha offers no such compensation. Even under close scrutiny, it is difficult to find a single redeeming element.
That a 127-minute film, featuring Mohanlal in a dual role, ends up being this monotonous is truly disappointing. In recent times, such a complete misfire from a project of this scale is rare.
Vrusshabha ultimately stands as a film that fails to entertain, engage, or justify its premise leaving audiences thoroughly dissatisfied.
Verdict:
* A poorly executed reincarnation drama
* Weak visuals and confused storytelling
* Wasted potential of a legendary actor
