Vrusshabha

Directed and written by Nanda Kishore, Vrusshabha turns out to be another disappointing film in Mohanlal’s recent career. The film is presented as a large scale mythological fantasy, but weak writing, poor visuals, and confused execution prevent it from working either as mythology or as mainstream entertainment.

The story begins in the ancient kingdom of Trilinga, ruled by Raja Vijayendra Vrusshabha, a king devoted to protecting a sacred Shiva linga believed to be the source of the land’s prosperity. A serious mistake during a battle leads to a curse, setting up a reincarnation storyline. In the present day, the king is reborn as Aadi Deva Varma, a businessman. While this idea sounds interesting on paper, the screenplay fails to develop it with emotional or mythological depth.

The dialogues are weak, and the emotions often feel exaggerated. The love angle feels unconvincing and does not create any real connection with the audience. The background score sounds more suited to a commercial action movie than a myth based drama. Action scenes, including horse riding sequences, look poorly staged and at times unintentionally funny. The production design and visual effects are extremely poor for a film of this scale. Costumes and makeup fail to create a convincing period feel. The film reminds one of earlier spectacles like Arundhati and Magadheera, but without their technical strength or narrative clarity. Actors such as Samarjit Lankesh, Nayan Sarika, Ragini Dwivedi, and Ajay also fail to make an impact

-Aiswarya Sudha