Hagga Movie Review: A rope that tangles more than it holds

As its title implies, Hagga (Rope) attempts to connect various narrative threads. Despite its ambition, however, the film swings between outdated cliches and a dark atmosphere, leaving viewers wanting a story that never comes. The film trudges through its first half, and the story is only explained in the latter part, making it feel like a relic of the past that should have stayed there. Instead of sparking nostalgia, it offers a tired mix of cliches that feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.

Director: Avinash N

Cast: Anu Prabhakar, C Venu, Harshika Poonacha, Bhavani Prakash, and Avinash

The plot mainly unfolds in the second half, where we meet an elderly oracle chanting beside a corpse, hinting at dark forces threatening a small village. A series of brutal murders targeting elderly women, linked to the birth of baby girls, adds tension. The story follows Ramanna (C Venu), a man determined to uncover the dark secrets of his village who is known as Ram among his friends. Journalist Ritika, Harshika Poonacha, joins Ram to investigate these sinister events.

While the film, directed by Avinash, tries to weave together themes of black magic and folklore, it ultimately stumbles with a confusing narrative. Ramanna’s journey becomes a tedious slog through half-baked ideas. Harshika Poonacha's character is a mere observer in a story that feels inflated but underdeveloped.

The serious topic of elderly women being murdered connected to the birth of girls deserves more careful handling, but Hagga addresses it clumsily. Savitri’s (Anu Prabhakar) tragic tale becomes just another recycled plot point, lacking real emotional weight. The portrayal of her harsh mother-in-law Tri Chandeshwari (Bhavani Prakash) aims to add depth, but it only complicates an already messy plot and feels predictable and one-dimensional.

Visually, there are some decent effects, especially in the supernatural scenes, but they can't save the film from its many flaws. The choppy editing and disconnected storytelling leave the audience feeling lost, as if they are dragged through unrelated scenes without a clear point. The shifts from horror to family drama are jarring, creating confusion rather than excitement. While Anu Prabhakar and Bhavani Prakash give it their best, with the support of actors Avinash, Priya Hegde, Sudha Belawadi, and Basanth Nagar, they are held back by weak writing and uninspired direction.

In the end, Hagga reminds us of how far we've come—and how far some films still have to go. It tackles important themes like gender oppression and revenge but does so in a clumsy way that leaves with not a good taste. Except for the actors’ efforts and a few visual moments, there is little here to write home about.

Ultimately, Hagga leaves viewers hanging—quite literally. The film's use of a rope, meant for dark purposes, symbolises its narrative: tightly bound yet ineffective. We see characters dragged to their doom, much like the flimsy plot that fails to hold everything together.

With all the hanging and burning, one might expect the rope to break under the chaos, yet it stands strong, just like the film's outdated tropes and clumsy storytelling. If only the filmmakers had put as much effort into the story as they did into the rope, we might have had a film worth watching. Instead, Hagga hangs awkwardly between ambition and execution, leaving us chuckling at its flaws rather than gasping at its intended horrors.

So, if you're looking for a film that ties you up in knots, Hagga is the one—just don’t expect it to weave a coherent story.