I walked into Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana expecting a standard thriller, but what I got was a whole lot quirkier. The movie kicks off with a premise I’ve genuinely never seen before: the daily, low-key struggle of being a left-hander in a world built for the right-handed majority. It’s a clever hook, and the film dives right in.
Our guy is Lohith (played by Diganth), who’s on a secret date with Pooja (Nidhi Subbaiah). In the middle of their rendezvous, he’s lamenting how everything from scissors to spiral notebooks is a minor inconvenience for “lefties.” It’s a casual, funny conversation, but the director, Samarth Kadkol, does a great job of building this creeping sense of dread underneath it all. You just know something is about to go spectacularly wrong. And boy, does it. One freak accident later, Lohith finds himself in a situation that spirals into a full-blown nightmare involving multiple dead bodies and a very, very complicated neighbor.
The best thing about the film is Diganth. He is absolutely the star of the show and completely carries the film. His portrayal of the awkward but innocent (or is he?) Lohith is fantastic. His natural charm and comic timing makes you root for him even when he’s making some truly questionable choices.
The movie is at its best when it dabbles in dark comedy. The second half, in particular, with some genuinely hilarious moments and twists, picks up pace and makes you gasp. A special shoutout goes to Dhanu Harsha, who plays the antagonist. She’s fantastic and holds her own against Diganth, proving you don’t need a hulking male villain to be menacing.
However, the movie isn’t without its problems. For one, the first half is a bit of a slog. It takes its sweet time getting to the main event, and while the ideas are interesting, it feels a little wanting. My biggest issue, though, was the ending. The whole thing morphs into something else. It feels like the filmmakers had this great, tight thriller and then, in the last 20 minutes, tried to bolt on a deep, psychological exploration of the human mind. It felt a completely different film than what I watched till then. The sudden shift in tone from a slick, dark comedy psychological drama undercut the fun that came before. It’s a classic case of a film doing a little too much.
So, what’s the verdict? Honestly, despite the climax that I wanted to stick to the format and the somewhat slow start, I’d still vouch Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana as a worthy watch. It’s an engaging, creative and filled with enough surprises to keep you entertained. If you’re a fan of thrillers and don’t mind an okayish ending you’ll probably have a good time. It leaves you wearing for more, because with a stronger final act, this could have been a truly great film.
Film: Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana Director: Samarth B Kadkol Cast: Diganth, Nidhi Subbaiah, Dhanu Harsha, Krishna Hebbale Duration: 122 minutes Stars: 3/5
