Movie review: Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana

Platform: Zee5

Release Date: 19/11/2021

Cast: Raj B. Shetty, Rishab Shetty, Gopal Deshpande

Director: Raj B. Shetty

The “gangster” genre has had so many different iterations and approaches in the Indian Cinema-scape that there remains very little to experiment with. Films like Satya, Shiva, Company, Gangs of Wasseypur, etc have left an indelible mark on the psyche of the viewers.

No matter what you throw at these audiences, they invariably look back on these classics and draw parallels with the latest offerings. At a time like this for me to see a film like Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana was an extremely odd experience as it was in no way novel or different but due to its fantastic execution and haunting performances, it turned out to be an exasperating experience that lingered on my mind long after the film was over.

Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana's story revolves around Shiva (Raj B. Shetty) and Hari (Rishab Shetty), two distinctively different individuals whose fates are intertwined. Shiva was abandoned by his mother and dumped in a well after she slit his throat but he refused to die. He is fished out of the well, survives 21 days in a hospital, and is then taken home by Hari’s mother to be brought up with him.

He is abused by different entities as he grows up but never retaliates. Hari befriends Shiva and witnesses all the atrocities committed on him but remains silent. Years later, on a fateful day, Shiva finally retaliates when a man threatens Hari and this marks the beginning of his ceaseless expressions of inhuman ultra-violence on anyone who goes against his will.

Shiva’s murdering rage and violent spree cement the foundation on which Hari builds up their criminal enterprise. The two start living a life of plenty that is nevertheless marred by challenges from time to time.

Things take an interesting turn when Hari grows in stature and starts brushing shoulders with the who’s who of the Mangalore underworld. Shiva starts getting sidelined and his uncontrollable rage starts making him a nuisance for Hari and his bosses who begin to tire of his unpredictable nature and gruesome ways.

It is at this juncture that a new police officer, Brahmayya (Gopal Deshpande) enters the scene and after being tormented by Shiva and Hari initially starts working his way to a solution to finish off the duo once and for all. What happens next is anyone’s guess and the film does take the same tried and tested path to its culmination but that in no way liquidates its impact or storytelling prowess.

The biggest takeaways for me from this film were the performances by Raj B. Shetty, Rishab Shetty, and Gopal Deshpande. Raj B. Shetty, who is also the writer and director of the film, is sensational in his rendition of the out-of-control Shiva. How he kills people and with the kind of ease that he does the unthinkable not only proves to be a shock but also elevates the character to a whole new level.

Shiva has very little dialogue in a film that is 2 hours and 30 minutes long. Most of his talking is done through his eyes and mannerisms and they are enough to convey his ruthlessness and indifference to the world around him.

The unassuming stature and meager physical presence of Raj B. Shetty make him even more effective as the character of Shiva as you never take him to be the force of nature that he is in this film. Shetty seems to be relishing the craziness of the character and sinks his teeth into the character so much so that he remained in character long after the shots were over. This was revealed by the cast and crew in interviews after the release of the film.

Rishab Shetty is equally good in a character that remains in the shadows of Shiva for a while but then starts taking its own course. I loved the bits where we see him silently appreciate and marvel at the physical prowess and bravado of Shiva who jumps into physical violence without a care in the world.

It is apparent that he wants to be like him but as the story progresses he understands how important it is for him to be different. He becomes the brain of the organization and with time, he realizes that Shiva is only a violent and vile dog who is out of his leash and needs to be put down immediately. The arc that Hari’s character goes through in the film is wonderfully realized and brought to life by Rishab Shetty. He renders the character not only believable but also affecting.

Gopal Deshpande as Brahmayya is the narrator of the entire tale and also the counterweight that finally evens out everything that Hari and Shiva threw off weight. I just loved Deshpande’s rendition of the character who is scared out of his wits when he first joins the police station that is under the control of Hari and Shiva.

He tries to get transferred, thinks of resigning, and even has a mental breakdown when aggressively threatened. Interestingly, he soon realizes that he has the intellect and power to work out a way to neutralize both Shiva and Hari and he eventually does so successfully in the end. One sequence where Deshpande is slapped by an MLA and breaks down alone at his residence was hauntingly tragic. The scene where he beats one of his teammates into submission who then starts respecting him was also memorable.

Apart from the performances, what makes Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana special is the direction. In an interview with Film Companion, Raj B. Shetty revealed that he writes only one draft of any script. He added that he edits that one draft a million times in his head and imagines every possible iteration of a scene before arriving at the best version of it. Hence he has more editing in his writing of a script than most other writers.

This trait of his creative process shows in every scene of the film. There are several scenes where the impact is compounded because of how the particular scene is envisioned and the different elements that are put together in a specific manner. Slow motions are used sparingly but to great effect, as it elevates moment of ultra-violence or drama to lofty heights.

The cinematography of Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana is also something that Raj B. Shetty pre-conceptualized when he was working out the story and the scenes. Thus it feels not only on your face but also has elements that make it different and feel in harmony with the story. In many shots we see a character involved in action or dialogue from a distance.

The camera gradually pans on the character and by the time the sequence is over we are at a position from where we can gauge the mental state of the actor or at a place that gives us a look into a certain element of the scene that leaves us exasperated. There are also sequences where the camera is static and locked in on the characters. These variations in using motion and stillness to affect the true meaning and beauty of a sequence is something that sets the cinematography of the film apart.

The editing is just as effective. Shots linger for a moment or two more on characters and sequences to give us the feel of the drama and the emotions involved. Slow-motion, as discussed earlier, is used in key sequences to elevate the feel of it. The background score is terrific and often contributes to elevating the bravura feeling and a misplaced sense of heroism in many of the sequences.

One must also note that there are sequences of unthinkable violence that have a soothing and sweet melody playing in the background that immediately creates a strange conflict between what we are seeing and what we are hearing. All this contributes to making the overall treatment of the film special.

Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana is a special film and it is so because of its performances and execution. While it is laced with the tried and tested tropes and has a predictable story, it is able to entice and capture its audiences with its scintillating storytelling and audio-visual presentation. There will definitely be people who will be enraged by the usage of Hindu religious historical figures and the transformation of their character traits into characteristics of criminals and lesser mortals.

It is something that could have been avoided but then Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana would not have the impact that it does owing to our memory of those revered historical figures and their traits. This is a must-watch for any film-goer. The film also shows how far ahead the South Indian film industry has got of their much larger and financially stronger northern counterparts.

Rating: 4/5 (4 out of 5 Stars)

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