Dasara movie review: Nani film is a familiar but riveting tale of friendship and revenge

Nani’s Dasara, like its recent counterparts like Rangasthalam (2018) and Narappa (2021), is a very familiar tale about the ugly side of caste politics.

The familiarity also seeps into the fashion in which it narrates a tale of friendship and revenge. Nevertheless, the film still manages to leave you in awe, thanks to the world it’s set in and how debutant Odella Srikanth presents it. It’s deeply rooted setting and how Srikanth manages to transport the viewer to a never seen before milieu of coal-laden hamlet that really works in the film’s favour.

The story is set in a small village called Veerlapalli, which is surrounded by coal mines. Nani plays Dharani, whose life revolves around his best friend Suri (Dheekshith) and his gang of friends. In their introduction sequence, we see the gang pull off a daredevil stunt by stealing coal from a moving train.

In this village, drinking is a tradition, a way of life and the local bar is a place where all the men conglomerate to waste time. The bar, which is reserved for the upper caste men, is the place where power as well caste dynamics come into play.

Men from the lower caste drink outside and wouldn’t dare to set foot inside. When Suri and Dharani unknowingly become responsible for a shift in the power dynamics involving the bar, they cross paths with men – Samuthirakani and Shine Tom Chacko – from the most powerful family in the village. The repercussions that both Suri and Dharani have to face for their actions forms the crux of the story.

Dasara pretty much uses every trick that’s been used before when it comes to such stories. However, it still manages to leave a strong impact because of how it succeeds in sucking you into a world you haven’t experienced before. Veerlapalli is carefully built with characters that are full of life. Unlike Pushpa or KGF, this isn’t a story that rides on the hero’s bravado.

In fact, for a good 60-70 percent of the film, Nani plays a character that’s mostly scared out of his wits and he takes solace in alcohol to swallow his fear. Throughout the first half, Nani can be actually seen standing behind Suri. When the transformation happens at a crucial juncture of the film, Srikanth has spent a great deal of time in building Nani’s character. Hence, when his moment of uprising comes, we buy into the transformation.

Dasara does try and get massy towards the end. But the predictability doesn’t come across as a major grouse as the slow world-building really helps in keeping the viewer invested right till the end. Two of the film’s best moments come in the form of extremely well-choreographed action set pieces right before the interval and during the finale portion.

The interval action sequence is so well shot that it infuses a deep sense of shock and fear in the viewer, pushing one to the edge of their seat. Nani turns in such a believable performance and he sells his quest for revenge so convincingly. Keerthy Suresh once again proves why she’s one of the best mainstream actresses we have today with her effortless performance. Sathyan Sooryan’s visuals play a pivotal role in making Dasara not just eye-catchy but highly immersive in every frame.

Film: Dasara

Director: Odella Srikanth

Cast: Nani, Dheekshith Shetty, Keerthy Suresh, Shine Tom Chacko, Samuthirakani and Sai Kumar