<p>Set in a small village in Tulunadu, ‘Rakkasa’ tells the story of three friends, Pakku, Santu, and Reepu. With modest jobs and fewer aspirations, they find joy in catching and eating crabs from the sea. One night, as they reflect on their aimless lives, they dream of going to Dubai for better prospects. </p><p>But reality strikes: ‘We will never go to Dubai. We don’t have Rs 1.5 lakh to pay the broker. Let us go to a bar instead,’ Pakku says. After a few drinks, they come across a poster that they believe could change their lives. According to the poster, the ‘best dressed’ Rakkasa (demon in Yakshagana) will get a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. The 38-minute short follows their attempts to win.</p><p>One of the challenges short films face on YouTube is the viewer’s attention span. </p><p>To keep the audiences hooked, director and writer G Vishnu blends wit, humour and empathy. Based on a story by G Raghunandan, it is inspired by real-life characters. </p>.<p>Coastal Karnataka soaks itself in a million colours during Krishnastami and Vittal Pindi. People flock the streets dressed in costumes of Yakshagana, tigers (pili vesha) and freedom fighters. </p>.<p>The film beautifully captures this by shooting on location, amongst the crowd. It also features non-trained actors except the ones playing lead roles. </p>.<p>In just 38 minutes, the filmmaker brilliantly outlines the characters, establishes an interplay between them, and narrates a compelling story. These aspects are hard to balance within a short runtime, but the crew has made those choices with care. However, there are a few scenes that come across as a forced fit, hindering the film’s pace. </p>.<p>The highlight of the film is that it uses poetry and metaphors to make a bold commentary about the country’s current state of affairs.</p>
<p>Set in a small village in Tulunadu, ‘Rakkasa’ tells the story of three friends, Pakku, Santu, and Reepu. With modest jobs and fewer aspirations, they find joy in catching and eating crabs from the sea. One night, as they reflect on their aimless lives, they dream of going to Dubai for better prospects. </p><p>But reality strikes: ‘We will never go to Dubai. We don’t have Rs 1.5 lakh to pay the broker. Let us go to a bar instead,’ Pakku says. After a few drinks, they come across a poster that they believe could change their lives. According to the poster, the ‘best dressed’ Rakkasa (demon in Yakshagana) will get a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. The 38-minute short follows their attempts to win.</p><p>One of the challenges short films face on YouTube is the viewer’s attention span. </p><p>To keep the audiences hooked, director and writer G Vishnu blends wit, humour and empathy. Based on a story by G Raghunandan, it is inspired by real-life characters. </p>.<p>Coastal Karnataka soaks itself in a million colours during Krishnastami and Vittal Pindi. People flock the streets dressed in costumes of Yakshagana, tigers (pili vesha) and freedom fighters. </p>.<p>The film beautifully captures this by shooting on location, amongst the crowd. It also features non-trained actors except the ones playing lead roles. </p>.<p>In just 38 minutes, the filmmaker brilliantly outlines the characters, establishes an interplay between them, and narrates a compelling story. These aspects are hard to balance within a short runtime, but the crew has made those choices with care. However, there are a few scenes that come across as a forced fit, hindering the film’s pace. </p>.<p>The highlight of the film is that it uses poetry and metaphors to make a bold commentary about the country’s current state of affairs.</p>