Roopanthara (transl. Metamorphosis) is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language anthology drama film directed by Mithilesh Edavalath in his directorial debut. The film was produced by Suhan Prasad and Parth Jani under the banners of Mango Pickle Entertainment and Jani Entertainment. It stars an ensemble cast including Raj B. Shetty, Hanumakka, Somshekhar Bolegaon, Lekha Naidu, Bharat GB, Anjan Bharadwaj, and Salmin Sheriff. Raj B. Shetty also wrote the dialogues and contributed additional screenplay.
Plot
The film is set in a bleak, dystopian future where clean air and water are scarce. An old man is captured by armed individuals and threatened with death. To save himself, he narrates four separate but thematically connected stories, each focusing on self-transformation:
- An elderly couple from a poor background struggling to fulfill the wife's wish to visit Bengaluru.
- A beggar woman falsely accused of kidnapping a child, facing social prejudice and the police system.
- A local thug whose conflict with an IT employee escalates, forcing him to confront his life choices.
- A young man dealing with childhood trauma who becomes drawn into dangerous online activities.
The stories follow a hyperlink narrative, with the dystopian framing device connecting them into a single feature-length story.
Cast
- Hanumakka as the old woman
- Somshekhar Bolegaon as the old man
- Lekha Naidu as the beggar
- Bharat GB as a police constable and the narrator
- Raj B. Shetty as the goon
- Jaishankar Aryar as the IT employee
- Anjan Bharadwaj as the dark web user
Production
Edavalath was inspired to write the stories after observing a couple from North Karnataka in Bengaluru. He initially created several short films before deciding to connect them into a feature-length narrative using a dystopian future as a linking device. The cinematography and editing were handled by Praveen Shriyan, with additional editing by Bhuvanesh Manivannan. The soundtrack was composed by Midhun Mukundan.
Release and Reception
Roopanthara was released on 26 July 2024. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances and called it a confident debut. The Times of India rated it 3.5/5, describing it as "a metamorphic experience." Deccan Herald also gave 3.5/5, noting an "engrossing storyline with a well-written screenplay." The Hindu gave a positive review, calling the film "consistently engaging." Some critics noted that while the film's premise was ambitious, the execution was occasionally uneven.
