Su From So Movie Review: Raj B Shetty, JP Thuminad’s satirical comedy drama is a masterclass for Bollywood and big-budget-obsessed filmmakers, studios

In a village located far, far away from the glitz of urban life, community is inseparable from people’s existence. It’s not just that everyone knows each other by name, but the concept of privacy is almost non-existent there, as whatever happens becomes everyone’s business, which can be a blessing and a curse. Ravi Anna is the unofficial headman, whose word is final in the village. He is one of those strongmen frequently celebrated by local bards, particularly for his impressive physical strength. Though a mestri by profession, he is a jack of all trades and even knows how to conduct last rites. As the villagers’ unhappening lives unfold, marked by small joys and sorrows, a sudden incident alters the fate of the entire locality. One night, to escape the consequences of a crime he committed, local youth Ashoka (Thuminad) pretends to be possessed. What he assumed would be a harmless lie ultimately affects his life, as the villagers begin to interpret all his actions through this new lens. At one point, they “discover” that the ghost possessing him is one SUlochana From SOmeshwara (hence the title). “All the time, she is watching something or the other on Ashoka’s phone,” his mother says at one point, highlighting how even she, along with others, now scrutinise the youth’s otherwise everyday actions.

Ravi, meanwhile, takes this as a prestige issue after “Sulochana” slapped him one night (it was actually Ashoka settling some old scores). Thus, he invites a renowned spiritual leader Karunakara Guru (Raj B Shetty) from Mangaluru. Things start to spiral out of Ashoka’s control when the guru prescribes gruesome rituals for exorcism. Despite Ashoka claiming after a point that he is now fine, the villagers start attributing all bad occurrences around them to Sulochana, exacerbating the tension. To resolve the chaos, Ravi and a few others travel to Someshwara, where they meet Bhanu (Sandhya Arakere). Living in distress after her mother, Sulochana, passed away a few years ago, Bhanu is grappling with harassment from her uncle and other men in her native area. Hence, the news that Sulochana’s spirit has “possessed” Ashoka brings her a sense of relief, making her feel that she once again has someone with her. However, this only complicates matters further and intensifies the villagers’ fears. The remainder of the story follows the various attempts of the villagers to find a solution to this predicament.

Watch Su From So trailer here:

One of the most interesting things about Su From So is that despite being extremely predictable — as in, the film doesn’t feature even one incident, action or reaction from any of the characters that we couldn’t have anticipated — the story still manages to keep the audience engaged, eager to see how the writer-director wraps up everything. Even as it traverses a very predictable path, JP Thuminad ensures that the moments are lively and vibrant, filled with situational and, at times, chaotic humour. The environment is familiar and the series of mishaps that occur highly believable, contributing to the enjoyable experience.

Unlike typical mainstream films that draw heavily from successful past works, Thuminad largely focuses on the freshness of mundane actions in real life. For example, there’s a shot in the movie where three people are riding on a Chetak scooter, and as it jumps over a hump in the road, the person sitting at the rear end lets out a sigh of relief as his seating position is finally set. Su From So is filled with many such relatable moments that evoke a sense of déjà vu in our own lives, adding to the film’s charm.

While modern filmmakers have largely moved away from assigning clear-cut heroic and antagonistic traits to their characters, instead opting to explore their greys as well, Su From So takes this concept to another level. Towards the end, the film subverts the traditional hero image by making Ashoka confront the severity of his initial crime, which ultimately led to all the chaos, by highlighting Bhanu as a victim of a similar experience at the hands of her uncle. Although his action was initially presented as a “young man having fun”, Thuminad eventually shatters this perception, indirectly calling out Ashoka and dealing him a tight metaphorical slap. This slap also lands on the faces of the many meninists among the audience who play victim many a time, saying, “women blow things out of proportion”, while ignoring their own privileges that shield them from such mistreatment and crimes. The impact of this moment is intensified by the fact that the writer-director himself has played Ashoka, emphasising the importance of unlearning.

One of the film’s biggest strengths lies in the performances of every actor on screen. From Shaneel, Thuminad and Sandhya to Prakash Thuminad (as Chandra), Deepak Rai Paanaaje (as Satheesh), Tanishka Shetty (as Chaithra) and even the background artistes portraying villagers, the cast elevates Su From So, creating a sense that they have coexisted in this world for decades and that it reflects their true life stories. While Raj B Shetty delivers a hilarious performance as Karunakara Guru, he also skillfully ensures that his stardom does not overshadow anyone or anything else. Instead, he simply serves as just one element in the larger tapestry, while also contributing to the film’s market appeal.

In a recent interview, Raj, who also co-produced the film, revealed that Su From So was made on a budget of Rs 5.5 crore, including the promotional expenses as well. This serves as a lesson not just to Bollywood, which struggles to produce smaller films and often faces mammoth debacles as a result, but also to studios and filmmakers across the country who create big-ticket films merely for the sake of it, without any substantial material to begin with. There isn’t a single scene in Su From So where the visuals feel inadequate or incomplete. Thuminad carefully constructs the world of the film, demonstrating a clear vision of what to extract from each moment, proving that high-quality works can be achieved even on a small budget. Cinematographer S Chandrasekaran, editor Nithin Shetty, production designer Sushma Naik, and art directors Rajesh Kolake and Rajesh K Bandyod also deserve special recognition for their impressive contributions. Sumedh K’s music and Sandeep Thulasidas’ background score enhance the viewing experience further, offering a joyful ride.

Su From So movie cast: Shaneel Gautham, JP Thuminad, Raj B Shetty, Sandhya Arakere
Su From So movie director: JP Thuminad
Su From So movie rating: 3.5 stars

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