- Date of Release: 25 July 2025
- Genre: Comedy, Horror
- Language: Kannada
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Su From So
Introduction
There is something about the world of the new Kannada film Su From So that immediately draws you in. The best way to describe the village in the film would be that of Phulera from Panchayat, but on steroids. And the reason for the same remains the Motley crew of characters who reside in the village. The cold open in the drama lays out the setting of a funeral – but the mood of the room contradicts the setting. You have people who are more interested in when the food will be served, alternately assembling for gossip-mongering sessions, or occasionally sipping alcohol at regular instances. It is a party of sorts that defines the mood of the village who are hardly interested in the funeral, even as one of the characters indulges in a game of peek-a-boo with a female in the setup. The vibe often imparts a sense of comedy through these hilarious moments, that further amps up the humour wherein the rumour mills begin to spread the news of a character randomly being possessed by a spirit – simply because he entered the house during the ritual to fetch his charging phone. Hilarious, I tell you!
Story & Screenplay
One of the early gazes that Su From So could be viewed from, is that of evolution. There is an inherent commentary on human behavior alright as seen in its cold open, but it also speaks volumes about the care-free attitude of the villagers. In an immediately different setup, you see the villagers partying in a happy occasion even as most of them are sloshed and dancing away to glory. The only exception to the rule is a tertiary character who refuses to dance just because his shirt would be creased😂. But it is also worth mentioning on how it is mostly the ‘men’ of the village that have this luxury of celebrating life – the women are there but either restricted in their households or sitting in the background (a fleeting moment involves a wiry girl filling up her plate with a lot of rice).
Amidst this, it is the characterization that really stands out – Ravi Anna (Shaneel Gautham) is the perennial bachelor of the village and a go-to man for all the issues erupting in the vicinity, his loyal right-hand man is Sathisha (Deepak Rai Panaje) whose only task remains to hilariously repeat the words of Ravi. This duo mostly have a Munnabhai-Circuit dynamic, wherein the latter would say ‘Bhai Ne Bola Karneka Toh Karneka’ (listen to the big bro always). You are also introduced to Chandra Anna (Prakash Thuminadu) who is always called upon when the villagers need a rickshaw, and a committee head Yadhu (Mime Anna) who loves gathering a crowd and mindlessly giving speeches of no relevance. There is also a local drunkard Bava (Pushparaj Bollar) who is induced in a task when promised with a booze, and a peeping tom Ashoka (JP Thuminad), who cannot keep his eyes away from women and hormones in his pants. It is the kind of a colourful setup that forms a wonderful story of evolution, something that transitions into a coming of age drama with bouts of horror and comedy.
The key conflict is simplistic but hilarious – the villagers need to identify and extradicate a “supposed” fleeting spirit housing itself in Ashoka. But the events around it are equally hilarious – the son of a late exorcist is arm-twisted and emotionally blackmailed into the chore, even when he can barely light the pile of woods himself, another exorcist is summoned simply because the villagers have seen him on television. All of it whilst you know what the actual truth is – something that leads to a lot of laughs along the way, even as Ashoka continues to entangle himself in a mess. But interestingly, the frivolous nature of the drama gives way to a pondering second hour that also doubles up as a social drama.
The emotional core of the drama for me remains the character of Bhanu (Sandhya Arakere), who finds herself tagged to the entire mess. The title Su From So is an alliteration for Sulochana from Someshwara, wherein the track suddsnly begins to revolve around Bhanu and her now erstwhile mother Sulochana (who is from Someshwara). Bhanu has a brief history with Ravi, an equation that is laced with an amalgamation of the societal judgment and second chances, something that automatically triggers a redemption arc for Ravi too, after being initially hesitant. Elsewhere, the thread of comedy doesn’t lose its identity either – organically transitioning into the villagers believing that the only way for exorcism to transpire is through the character of Bhanu who has a past with the ghost. And yet, the drama finds pondering moments about the current status of Bhanu with respect to the people around her, that formulates a social message to dwell upon.
One of the minor criticisms that I had was the repetitive nature of the drama, as opposed to fully committing to the emotional arc of Bhanu. The latter is present but there was a case of deep-diving into it even more for an even better emotional resonance. But what the drama does well is trigger an arc of realisation for Ashoka who has moments to reflect on his actions while understanding the life of Bhanu, even as the comedic moments of the villagers running away from Ashoka (given that he is possessed) is the new norm for him. I like when the writing approaches a ‘punch up’ technique, and this was one of them! And as far as the collective evolution of the village is concerned, the climax of the ‘men’ of the village standing up for a ‘woman’ was the chef’s kiss for me, leading to a rousing finale that would invoke some powerful feelings within you. This, again while never losing sight of the comedic theme of the drama – a rare duality that results in magic by the end of things.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are hilarious to the core and perfectly in sync with the colourful and zany theme of the drama, something that is further highlighted by the brilliant performances of the characters (more on that later). The music is an absolute vibe here, something that highlights the different moods of the village accurately. The BGM is pulsating during the chases, that gets the adrenaline going within you. This, while beautifully balancing the comedic moments with notes that compliment that already funny sequences in the drama. The cinematography comprises of frames that are literally colourful – with colours popping out of the screen, almost being a metaphor for the colourful lives of the people in the village. But on a broader scale, it also gives you a clear indicator that the drama is a comedy drama first, while using the horror elements just as a medium for the social drama to unfold. And what the cinematography also does is, create a zany ambience with its already colourful characters, while allowing you to be connected with their journeys.
The editing is razor sharp, almost being playful with the comedic sequences that play out without too many jump cuts, only to balance things out with clever interjections in brief moments of horror. Director JP Thuminad does a wonderful job in weaving a refreshingly charming horror comedy by doing the basics right. He focuses on the world building and the colourful characterization while willing to tell a humane story, as opposed to using the horror trope just to grab eyeballs. The result then remains clear – the characters and their antics drive the plot, even while the drama transitions from a frivolous comedy to a pondering social drama with traces of horror. And the direction needs to be applauded for handling this transition really well, while continuing to maintain a grip on the narrative.
Performances
The performances are superb by the members of the cast. It is indeed a rarity that every single character (big or small) is highlighted due to its impeccable writing. Utsav Vamanjoor and Arjun Kaje as Prasad have their moments to shine. Prakrathi Amin as Ashoka’s sister and Tanishka Shetty as Chaithra are wonderful additions to the drama, and both make their presence felt. Pushparaj Bollar as Bava is hilarious, and I absolutely cracked up in a scene wherein he was sloshed to the core. Raj B Shetty as Guruji will tickle your funny bone, given how his phoney character hilariously gets embroiled in this mess. Mime Ramdas as Yadhu and Deepak Rai Panaje as Sathisha are significantly colourful characters that formulate this world, and both are extremely competent here. Prakash Thuminadu as Chandra is immensely affable with zany antics that will keep you entertained.
Sandhya Arakere as Bhanu is the emotional core of the film, and her understated approach coupled with her beautifully expressive eyes tell you a story or two about her past life, while adding layers to her character. JP Thuminad as Ashoka has a wonderful character arc to play with. And you see his reluctant but flirtatious act that kicks starts his character (that alternately could also have been a little more pronounced), only for him to own the climax with his getup and the intensity that he brings to the table. He was pretty solid to witness here while doing a fairly good job overall. Shaneel Gautham as Ravi Anna is excellent to witness here. He is your middle-aged bachelor that everyone looks upto during a crisis, and in this regard, you could see Shaneel delivering a measured act. In a scene, you see him ‘weirdly’ touching Ashoka given how he thinks that he is being possessed by a female ghost, that tells you how he is been single for a while now. But when life gives him another chance, not only does he grab the opportunity but also turns over a new leaf. And that was the arc of redemption for him, that sees him on a roller coaster of emotions, wherein he manages to impress!
Conclusion
Su From So is a refreshingly charming and pondering horror comedy with colourful performances that makes for a thoroughly entertaining watch. Available in a theatre near you.