The dissection of a relationship is the focal point of Arishadvarga, and director Arvind Kamath does a good job of highlighting the six emotions of the human mind -- lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego and jealousy -- in this neo-noir thriller. The movie revolves around a murder, which is in equal parts sensitive, emotional, disturbing and challenging.
Arishadvarga begins with Anish (Mahesh Bung), an aspiring actor doubling as an amateur gigolo. He receives a shocker when a wealthy and anonymous patron frames him in the murder of a well-known producer and businessman, Manjunath Bhat (Avinash). Stuck in this situation, will Anish be able to extricate himself or will he drown in the quicksand? This forms the basis of the story.
Sakshi (Samyuktha Hornad) plays an aspiring actor called for an audition, while Kruthi (Anju Alva Naik) is seen in the role of the producer’s wife, and Ashok Kalburgi (Nanda Gopal) plays the cop investigating the murder. The cast also features Gopa Krishna Deshpande as an auto driver and Aravind Kuplikar as Karthik, a young aspiring director.
Bridging the gap between mainstream and indie cinema, director Arvind Kamath manages to highlight issues like misogyny, sexual deprivation and male prostitution, while holding a mirror to the complicated lives of people living in cosmopolitan cities. The pace of Arishadvarga, though a bit slow, seems to be a deliberate effort to highlight the characters. The nature of intertwined relationships takes some time for the viewer to understand. The climax, however, is sure to draw mixed reactions as there is a hint at a possible sequel in the future.
Anju Alva Naik, who plays the dead producer’s second wife, as well as Nanda Gopal, seen as the alcoholic cop, pull off difficult roles. Karthik’s character needed more time on screen. A special mention should be made of Sripathi Manjanabailu, who plays the role of Head Constable Raajanna. The film comes with a good background score and songs by Udit Haritas, who contributes well to the narration.Arishadvarga, which depicts relationships in the urban set-up, is mature and realistic in parts, and judgement around the murder depends on the viewer’s perspective.