Vaghachipani movie review: Dileesh Pothan’s film offers a striking portrayal of how far people will go to retain power

In place of Vidheyan’s Bhaskara Pattelar (Mammootty), we have Prabhu (Achyut Kumar), and as his Thommy (MR Gopakumar) is Malabari (Dileesh Pothan). Interestingly, Natesh never reveals their actual names. Although almost all other characters are introduced with proper identities, Prabhu is Prabhu for everyone, and so is Malabari. As the movie progresses, we understand why this is a wise choice. Those aren’t just their sobriquets but their entire identities. While Achyut Kumar’s character is the uncrowned ruler, Prabhu, of the sleepy hamlet of Vaghachipani, located in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Dileesh Pothan’s character is just his henchman, the Malabari (often used as a pejorative term for Malayalees) who cleans up the former’s mess.

While Prabhu, hailing from an elite landlord family, is gearing up to contest for the position of village council head, trouble arises as Pathi (Sumitra), an underage shepherdess working at his home, is found to be pregnant. Since she is a girl with intellectual disabilities and hence has no idea what sex or pregnancy is, the police conclude that it’s a case of rape. Although Prabhu begins making efforts to sweep it under the carpet by conspiring to put the blame on Dalit schoolchildren, the local do-gooder Basu (Gopal Hegde) is determined to expose him. Adding to Prabhu’s “woes” is his younger brother Venkati’s (played by Natesh himself) romantic affair with the lowered-caste Malabari’s sister, Devaki (Bindu Raxidi).

Dileesh Pothan in Vaghachipani.

Based on short stories by noted Kannada writer Amaresh Nugadoni, Vaghachipani is one of those rare movies that doesn’t try to inflate its narrative or visuals with unnecessary embellishments. Instead, what Natesh has done is offer a sense of richness and intensity by bringing out the ethos of the environment and characters to the fullest. The decision to shoot the movie in 16 mm has also aided the filmmaker here, as it has given the frames a sense of depth, helping him communicate more with less. Following the opening sequence, which shows a procession carrying the local deity, emphasising the people’s belief in an almighty, we are directly taken to the village centre at night. Despite being an immigrant, we see Malabari bravely setting up his usual gambling stall there, with his usual customers immediately flocking to it to test their luck. This moment not only shows the tininess of the village but also the people’s lives, where sources of entertainment and vices aren’t plentiful.

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Once Prabhu enters the scene, we understand where Malabari gets his courage. A man who inherited power as a sort of ancestral property, he, however, isn’t your typical villain who goes on a spree of unlawful activities all the time. But he cherishes power, and to retain it, he is running for the position of village council head. One night, we see him trying to lure voters by organising a private party at which he tears up while singing an emotional song, manipulating people into believing that he’s a good person. “I only want to do good for you,” he says as he begs for their votes. However, Basu sees through his game. But when he calls it out, Malabari rushes forward to thrash him, showing the extent of his servile nature. The way Prabhu treats his brother Venkati, nonetheless, reveals more of his grey. Upon learning that the latter took a few bucks from his drawer, Prabhu thrashes him with a stick, without even considering that Venkati, too, is an adult.

Although Malabari is always by his side, one scene reveals that Prabhu has no soft spot for him either. At the police station, during a discussion on Pathi’s case, when the cops start heckling Malabari, Prabhu merely laughs along, doing nothing to intervene. Yet Malabari’s allegiance never shifts; it is only when he is by Prabhu’s side that he believes he gets some respect. It’s almost like he is the mirror image of Vidheyan’s Thommy. When Venkati, after years of living under his brother’s shadow, asks for his rightful share of the properties to live with Devaki, Prabhu becomes the embodiment of Bhaskara Pattelar. He gets Venkati arrested in a fake case. The movie also illustrates how the elite exploit the marginalised as mere tools, perpetrating monstrous acts through manipulation and the abuse of power.

From the very beginning, we constantly see the image of local deities, whether when Prabhu goes to the temple or when Pathi sits near Goddess Mari, checking out the bangles offered by devotees. Yet, the gods never come to the rescue of the oppressed. Despite being a pure soul, even Pathi is erased from the picture towards the end, and the evil Prabhu triumphs. Discussing this creative choice — where he purposefully gives viewers a sense of an impending divine intervention only to make them realise in the end that no such forces are going to come to help them — Natesh Hegde tells SCREEN, “That is the world we are living in. We hope for some justice or divine intervention. But it doesn’t happen. That is the danger. What we think would be the protector became a mere observer here. If we look around, who are the people winning (the elections)? Who are the people ruling us? That is the danger, and I also have that fear. And it may be because of that fear that this film is standing.”

Despite the movie having enough content to be another gritty actioner like Raj B Shetty’s Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021), Natesh’s judicious decision not to make it that way is commendable. Even without any overt cinematic dramatisation, he manages to create an impact through the movie, effectively communicating everything he wishes to convey. Despite Vaghachipani being an uneventful village, we never feel this way, as cinematographer Vikas Urs brilliantly captures its different shades with precision. The lighting in the film deserves special praise, as it gives the village a distinct identity and helps highlight the absoluteness of many moments. Leo Heiblum has also done a great job with Vaghachipani’s music.

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While Dileesh Pothan demonstrates once again why he is an actor par excellence, Sumitra as Pathi delivers one of the most astounding performances I have seen in recent times. There are several close-ups in which she reminded me of the iconic Afghan Girl, conveying a thousand unspoken words that dialogues could never capture. When she is alone, lost in her own world, her eyes reveal a blankness that is almost impossible to portray convincingly without appearing artificial.