‘Rahasyam Idham Jagath’ movie review: Earnest but far from engrossing

Rahasyam Idham Jagath movie review: A Telugu indie film blending science fiction and mythology, exploring love, loss, and time travel.

How far would you go to help your loved ones? This question is oft explored in books and cinema. If done well, it can be an emotionally moving drama. Komal R Bharadwaj, who has written and directed the Telugu indie film Rahasyam Idham Jagath, gives this idea a different spin, interspersing elements of science fiction and mythology. There is romance, a bitter past, a possibility of revenge, unexplained murky happenings in an eerie setting and the possibility of time travel through a wormhole. It is an ambitious, interesting idea on paper but does not translate to an engrossing adventurous ride, despite the earnest execution of the film.

Rahasyam Idham Jagath unfolds entirely in the United States, in the vicinity of forests of Portland, Oregon. The story follows the journey of a young couple, Abhi (Rakesh Galebhe) and Akira (Sravanthi Prattipati), who decide to return to India following a personal loss, valuing family ties over their American dreams. Before they head home, they plan a brief vacation and are joined by their friends; but nothing goes as planned. 

The narrative stays true to its turf and uses the brooding nature of Portland’s winter and snow storms to set the stage for a mysterious turn of events. The film’s prologue hints at what is to come, through a story from the Ramayana. Much before the possibility of time travel through a wormhole is explored, we are introduced to the principal characters and their relationship dynamics. Among the group of friends, one struggles to overcome an irksome past and is on the downward spiral of consuming drugs, and another (Manasa Veena as the nerdy Aru) is on the cusp of a revolutionary medical science project. 

When the group is stranded at a cottage in the wilderness owing to the snowstorm, an adventure ride begins. There is a lot more in store than betrayal and revenge as incidents of crime have been reported in the forest area and the police are keen to find the answers. The tonal shift from the relationship drama between Abhi and Akira to the mystery zone happens seamlessly thanks to the film’s team of cinematographers who use the low light, moody winter setting to their advantage. The purportedly restless, handheld camera movements and close-up shots in the initial portions give way to wider frames that capture the breathtaking beauty of the locales and their inherent eeriness. 

Concepts such as location aura, multidimensional existence, parallel universe and time travel are discussed as the story progresses. To give credit where due, the film tries to explain all this in simple terms. It also stays true to its genre and does not dilute the narrative with forcefit comedy or romance. Much of the conversation is in Telugu since the story is centred on Telugu-speaking NRIs, but there is also a fair amount of English and the makers trust their audience to follow and comprehend the proceedings. 

On the flip side, the execution does not match up to the film’s ambition, partly due to budget constraints and partly owing to the lack of emotional heft. When Aru and her mentor are nervous about the stumbling blocks in their dream project, it is hard to empathise with their plight since it lacks a sense of urgency. When Abhi takes a leap of faith into the unknown after a dark turn of events, that too did not move me as much as it should have. 

There are other minor distractions as well. For instance, a conversation between friends at a bar gets drowned by the live music performance in the background. In another scene, the clinking of glasses at the bar makes the dialogues almost inaudible.