‘Veera Chandrahasa’ movie review: Ravi Basrur’s film is a sincere ode to Yakshagana, but lacks cinematic zing

Directed by music composer Ravi Basrur, ‘Veera Chandrahasa’ has the novelty of a mythological tale narrated in the form of Yakshagana, but the film required a bigger canvas and cinematic elements

Early into Veera Chandrahasa, it’s natural to feel like you are watching a night-long performance of Yakshagana, the ancient coastal art form. A couple of scenes play out for so long, perhaps for 15 minutes or more, that they feel like they are straight out of a stage play. In that sense, the movie is a sincere ode to Yakshagana.

Music composer Ravi Basrur, famous for KGF and Salaar, has donned the hat of a director in Veera Chandrahasa. Basrur narrates the tale of Chandrahasa — the popular story of an orphan who becomes the king of the Kuntala Kingdom in Hindu mythology — in the form of a Yakshagana performance.

For a while, the experimental take feels immersive. However, the novelty doesn’t last long. Veera Chandrahasa lacks essential cinematic elements to remain engaging throughout its runtime (20 minutes shy of three hours). The film, which benefits from its sparks of humour, could have been a character study of the central character Chandrahasa. The straightforward narration of an age-old tale and the rudimentary treatment of the screenplay makes the movie appear a tad dated.

Basrur’s no-holds-barred music swings between vibrant and ear-splitting. The sound mixing keeps the spirit of Yakshagana alive, doing justice to the movie’s theme. The fine performances do justice to the rhythm of a Yakshagana show, with Prasanna Shettigar, playing the antagonist Dhushtabuddhi, as the standout. Shivarajkumar uses his vast experience to bring a royal touch to his cameo.

The film’s climax reminds you of Kantara (2022). Basrur goes for the same visceral impact of the final portions of Rishab Shetty’s film and almost pulls it off. But the monotonic buildup to the final act means you aren’t as gripped as you were while watching Kantara.

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Basrur plays to his strengths, but the film could have benefited from some risk-taking. The shoddy VFX and the dull action sequences prove that the movie required a bigger canvas.