Dubai-based filmmaker Ashwath Samuel has been juggling between his full-time job (handling inflight entertainment) and direction. His debut film Anukta is a crime thriller, which also talks about Mangaluru’s traditional art form, Daiva Kola.

According to Ashwath, people have already started comparing his film to Anup Bhandari’s debut Rangitaranga, because of some common elements. “Anukta is the story about a double murder. The script was written by my friend. It was initially written as a horror, but later, I changed into an investigative thriller,” he says.  

Ashwanth, who was previously associated with projects like the crime series CID and horror anthology series Aahat, feels the process of releasing a film is tougher than making one. “But this period is helping me get familiar with the industry, and I guess it will make things easier for my next.”

Anukta, starring Sampath Kumar, Anu Prabhakar, and Sangeetha Bhat, has music by Nobin Paul and cinematography by Manohar Joshi.