As a producer, Niharika Konidela scored a big success with her very first venture, Committee Kurrollu. Following that blockbuster, she once again backed fresh talent with her latest film Rakasa. Starring Sangeeth Sobhan and Nayan Sarika, the film marks the directorial debut of Manasa Sharma in Telugu cinema. Getup Srinu and Vennela Kishore play key roles. This horror-comedy hit the screens on April 3. So, how is the film?
Story: Veerababu, aka Veera (Sangeeth Sobhan), returns from the US to his village Rakavanam for his love Sukanya, only to be betrayed as she marries someone else. Amid this heartbreak, Veera is falsely accused of murdering Somu (Vennela Kishore), leading to his passport being seized. Meanwhile, the village follows a ritual of sacrificing a person to a demon living in a deserted fort. When an old man chosen for the sacrifice dies, Veera’s friend Balaraju (Getup Srinu) is picked, but fate forces Veera to enter the fort instead. What is the truth behind the demon, and what horrors await Veera inside, forms the crux of the story.
Performances: Sangeeth Sobhan excels as Veera with his impeccable comic timing and energetic performance. Nayan Sarika is decent, sharing good chemistry with the hero in a song. Getup Srinu delivers a full-length entertaining role, complementing Sangeeth well. There is something about him in all the characters he does and takes it to another level. Vennela Kishore appears in the second half but feels underutilized. Actors like Rohini, Tanikella Bharani, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Brahmaji perform adequately.
Technical Aspects: Manasa Sharma impresses more as a writer than as a director, with the second half showing some inconsistencies. Despite being a small film, the production quality is solid. The background score composed by Anudeep Dev does a good job of keeping the narrative engaging, especially by enhancing the tension in key moments. Anwar Ali’s editing, however, could have been sharper across both halves to ensure a smoother flow. The visuals by Raju Edurolu are adequate, though the VFX could have been handled with more finesse. Overall, the production values are fairly decent.
Analysis: Horror comedies generally enjoy a better success rate due to their simple setup and audience appeal. Raakaasaa benefits from a strong premise—a demon haunting a village and a fort setting. Unlike typical haunted-house films, it begins with an interesting backstory of kings failing to defeat the demon.
The first half generates good humor, especially through Sangeeth’s one-liners and scenes involving Getup Srinu. Episodes like the village panchayat and police interrogation work well. There is also a phase where there are repeated scenes that are showcased and this drags the runtime a bit.
The second half shifts entirely to the fort with limited characters, balancing horror and comedy. While the tension is maintained, some scenes lack intensity. The demon is built up strongly but underutilized, reducing the impact. The horror elements are not as thrilling as expected, and the comedy also dips compared to the first half.
Verdict: Overall, Raakaasaa works as a decent horror-comedy with good humor in parts, but it could have been more effective with stronger writing and better execution in the latter half. Still, it delivers a few laughs.
Bottom Line: Passable horror comedy
