Title: Hacche, Producer & Director: Yashodhara, Cinematography: Yasin Honnalli, Music: Vivek Chakravarthy, Cast: Abhimanyu, Adya Priya, Anu Prema, Dushyanth Roy, Gururaj Hoskote, Bande Chandru, and others
Hacche begins with promise and delivers an intense revenge story but loses its grip midway through its 133-minute runtime. While the themes of betrayal, survival, and revenge are strong, the narrative could have been tighter and more engaging.
The film touches upon the historical backdrop of the Vijayanagara Empire and introduces the ‘Chandra Drona’ concept, but these elements take a backseat. It’s likely that director Yashodhara is saving them for a potential sequel.
Set in a socially relevant context, Hachche is essentially a revenge-driven action film. On one side, we see Ugrasena and his gang spreading terror through criminal activities. On the other, there’s a subplot involving a Mantrik seeking hidden treasure and a lineage still tied to it.
The story also includes Crime Branch officer Veeren trying to bring down Ugrasena, and the protagonist Soorya (the man with the ‘Hacche’ mark on his chest), who eventually takes on Ugrasena’s gang alone after Veeren’s plan backfires. Add to that a love triangle and a media-house subplot, and there’s a lot packed into the film.
The main focus remains the clash between Ugrasena’s network and the efforts of Soorya and Veeren. However, the historical themes introduced at the beginning and end of the film feel underexplored – possibly to be continued in a sequel.
Abhimanyu shines in his role as Soorya, delivering a solid action performance and showing potential as a rising star. The actor playing Ugrasena brings the required intensity effectively. Adya Priya, as a journalist, delivers a decent performance, while Anu Prema’s role is short-lived due to a tragic turn.
Yasin Honnalli’s cinematography is convincing, and Vivek Chakravarthy’s background score supports the film well. The sequence involving the Lord Shiva statue, along with its accompanying song, stands out.
For action lovers, Hacche is an enjoyable watch, though there’s room for improvement in its storytelling.