'Evaru' movie review: Adivi Sesh's thriller keeps you guessing

If you are in for a twisty thriller, Evaru is your pick this weekend.
Adivi Sesh, Regina Cassandra in Evaru.
Adivi Sesh, Regina Cassandra in Evaru.

Everything beyond what is shown in the trailer is a spoiler for this film. So, brace yourself for a no-context review.

Sameera (Regina Cassandra) is found in a hotel room in Coonoor with a gun in hand alongside a dead body of police officer Ashok (Naveen Chandra). Hassled and in shock, she is paraded to the police station where she pleads innocence on the account of self-defence, as Ashok raped her. Enter Vikram Vasudev (Adivi Sesh) a cop who meets with Sameera to find out everything there is to find out, to help her case.

For someone who watched the film, The Invisible Guest, Evaru does have striking similarities. Although the characters, their backgrounds and the nativity has been moved around, the premise is pretty intact. However, as the team insists that it isn’t the same film, Evaru feels like a game of spot the difference - looks almost the same but not quite. In their defence, the movie would have excited and thrilled me a lot more if I had not foreseen the twists - which were many. Evaru keeps you guessing to a point of resignation up until the very end. Even when you are convinced that this is the last of the lot, there is always one more little twist that changes everything. 

The first half of Evaru involves quite some banter. Despite flash cuts to Sameera’s narrative, one would have to follow the chatter closely to make any sense of what is happening. As the film’s concept goes, there are many narratives to keep track of and it will be worth the attention. You will have no idea who the bad guy is and that secret is guarded thoroughly.

Regina who is pretty much the central character of the film has so much to do, so many masks to wear and so many emotions to pull off which she nails. Sesh is in his comfort-zone as he steers a thriller. The flippant sarcastic notes of the token corrupt police officer however, somehow felt out of place. Nihal Kodhaty as the troubled cancer patient turns some heads, he is a kid to watch out for. Props must be given to cinematographer Vamsi Patchipulusu for holding the audience’s intrigue. Uncomfortably tight close-ups really try to bring the emotion out especially as Sameera gets hounded for evidence after her rape. Meanwhile, Music Director Sricharan Pakala who seems to be Sesh’s go-to guy for thrillers, delivered. Although I could not shake off the feeling that there was some Kshanam hangover left in his background music. Venkat Ramji, the debut director now has quite a film under his belt.

If you are in for a twisty thriller, Evaru is your pick this weekend. Load up on the popcorn and maybe carry a notebook, because you will want to scrutinise every detail as you go.

Film: Evaru

Cast: Adivi Sesh, Regina Cassandra, Naveen Chandra        

Director: Venkat Ramji

Rating: 3 stars

(This review originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

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