The Rise of Ashoka Movie Review:
Oppression has become a common theme in recent Kannada cinema. The Rise of Ashoka adds to this by telling a story set in the 1970s, where livelihood, caste, and dignity are closely connected. The film depicts a community whose barbering is passed down through generations. The opening, with the devotional track 'Yello Mahadeva', sets a world where faith and social rules coexist, not always comfortably.
Director: Vinod V Dhondale
Cast: Sathish Ninasam, Sapthami Gowda, B Suresha, Sampath Maithreya, Gopalakrishna Deshpande, Yash Shetty, Ravi Shankar and P Jagappa
Ashoka (Sathish Ninasam) carries his father’s hopes on his shoulders. Gangaraju (B Suresha) believes that education and a government job, with his son becoming a revenue officer, is the only way out of inherited struggles. Their relationship forms the emotional core of the film, and the early part is filled with hope.
Kutty Babji (Sampath Maitreya) is shown as a powerful local contractor from Tamil Nadu who controls the labour economy. However, his character feels like a caricature, and his broken Kannada weakens the sense of threat. Ashoka gives up his job to support his community, raising the question of whether this will restore their dignity.
The film struggles when it moves from a personal story to a larger fight. Ashoka giving up his secure job to stand with his community feels sudden. The screenplay does not show his inner conflict well. The story focuses more on physical fights than on thinking, planning, or changing the system.
Sathish Ninasam performs Ashoka with honesty, especially in quiet moments. In the second half, the film changes tone. Ashoka focuses on revenge and destroys his enemies. Sapthami Gowda as Ambika brings warmth and steadiness, but her thoughts could have been shown more. Even her sacrifices are overlooked. B Suresha, as Gangaraju, adds authenticity and strengthens the emotional parts. The supporting cast, including Yash Shetty and Jagappa, makes the community feel real even if their personal stories remain small.
What starts as a story of dignity and hope becomes a story of action and revenge. The film captures the 1970s setting very well. While the torn appointment letter is a strong visual, it does not fully convey Ashoka’s emotions.
The Rise of Ashoka is an earnest, observant social drama with conviction and good performances, yet uneven in execution. Its first half promises subtlety and moral depth, but the story’s pivot to revenge undermines that promise. A fight for dignity, not always on equal terms. Had it trusted education, conversations, and systemic struggle over fists and vengeance, it might have truly risen.