Ratnamanjari Review: A dull thriller that tests your patience

Ratnamanjari Review: A dull thriller that tests your patience

While the director does try his best to keep things real, the film seems to stretch on and on, without any purpose
Rating:(2.5 / 5)

Ratnamanjari grabbed attention after the makers announced that it was based on a true story that took place in the US. Inspired by the event, debutant director, PraSidh, attempts to script a tale for the silver screen. But, has he done it right? 

The plot revolves around Siddhanth aka Siddu (Raj Charan), a Kodava living in the USA. A botanist by profession, he marries Gowri (Akhila Prakash). The couple moves to a new house that is known to be haunted. While shifting houses, a fish tank crashes by accident. Next, their neighbour Mr and Mrs Nanaiah are both found dead. Siddhanth takes on the onus to unravel the murder mystery, which lands him in Kodagu, where he enters the Ratnamanjari estate. While Siddu is trying to crack the murder mystery, he suddenly recalls a memory from a photograph he had seen back in the US. What is the role of the photograph? Will he be able to crack the murder with the clue? Honestly, it’s no big shakes.

CAst: Raj Charan, Akhila Prakash, Pallavi Raju and Shraddha Salian
Director: PraSidh

While PraSidh tries his best to keep things real, the film seems to stretch on and on, without any purpose. Abrupt sequences and a poor conclusion add insult to injury. Except for the fact that it is based on a true incident, there is nothing much to be highlighted in the film.

While the first half of the film tries to paint a colourful picture with candy floss romance and back-to-back songs, the second half focuses on the gloomy, ominous atmosphere created in the bungalow. The strangest part, however, is the murder mystery ending with a romantic song.

A mask, supposedly designed with the help of a Hollywood technician, unfortunately, isn’t placed right and doesn’t serve any purpose. It also seems like the team had put hero Raj Charan on a heavy-duty job., he just can't do justice to. The rest of the cast, including the female lead Akhila Prakash (who fills in the glam quotient), Pallavi Raju and Shraddha Salian, have nothing much to do, except prancing around wearing anklets that jingle to grab the hero’s attention.

Unnecessary songs serve as roadblocks to the narrative, Technically speaking, it looks like a very ordinary film with a poor background score. Cinematographer Preetham Taginamane’s work is good in parts. He has captured the green cover of Kodagu and a couple of fight sequences well. Unfortunately, it doesn’t salvage the film. Will this murder mystery, which managed to create a buzz with the trailer, bring you to the edge of your seats? I don't think so. 
 

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