When love takes an eerie twist

Ranathanthara
Kannada (U/A), Cast: Vijay Raghavendra, Haripriya, Aishwaraya Sindhogi, Satyajith, Shashikala
Director: Aadhiram

Written, scripted and directed with dialogues by Aadhiram, Ranathanthara is a two-in-one film. If the first half is a proverbial romance, the second half turns out to be an edgy thriller.

Throwing in the familiar devices of the genre — a haunted house with a resident ghost, and spine-chilling happenings — Ranathanthara is, however, a tad slow-paced. Claiming to be based on a real-life incident, the film both teases one’s patience, as also intrigues and occasionally perks up viewers.

It is love at first sight for Gautam when he feasts his eyes on Swarna, a techie. With Swarna’s friend Kaushalya playing cupid, Gautam and Swarna elope to wed while her father cries revenge, commissioning his cronies to get his daughter — dead or alive.

The newlyweds then head to an isolated mansion on an island for honeymoon, courtesy Gautam’s friend Anand.

There begins the nightmare as a sprite stalks Swarna giving the couple a torrid time on their first night.

How does the couple confront it? Do they escape back to civilisation? Is there someone out to take revenge? These are the questions Ranathanthara answers.It is all body show for Haripriya, who had done an excellent job in Ricky.

Vijay Raghavendra fumbles and stumbles as the lover-husband trying to come to terms with Haripriya’s haunted state.