Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana review: Diganth's film is a quirky entertainer

India Today

19 hours ago

It's easily overlooked that our world is constructed for the comfort of the majority, which are the right-handers. With equal ease, the struggles of left-handers get overlooked as they try to fit into a right-handed world. As mentioned in Samarth Kadkol's 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana', apart from the glory of stylish batting in cricket, the life of a left-hander is just not right.advertisementAlong with acknowledging and appreciating the struggles and adjustments all left-handers go through, the film starring Diganth as a 'leftie', alongside Dhanu Harsha and Nidhi Subbaiah, and cameos from Nirup Bhandari and Radhika Narayan, brings a gritty edge to an 'accident' that has to be witnessed.The Kannada title, 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana' translates to 'Left hand is the cause of the accident'. The film is based on a series of mishaps that follow the accident. Lohith (Diganth), who is a left-hander, is a corporate employee with a work-from-home job, working a night shift. He is invited over on a date by Pooja (Nidhi) to her apartment but is asked to sneak in so her parents don't find out.
Flash forward - Lohith is now dealing with three deaths, a cop, Radhika (a 'DJ Tillu' joke), and 'Casper'. Diving any deeper into the plot description might serve as a spoiler. So what was the accident that Lohith was involved in? How did three people end up being killed? Who is Radhika (Dhanu Harsha)? What does being left-handed have anything to do with all this? The answers to these questions - and so much more - make up the plot of the film.advertisement Written and directed by debutant Samarth Kadkol, 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana', or 'EAK' in short, is an entertainer. The film lives up to all the expectations set by the trailer, from a creative as well as a technical standpoint. A funny thriller that doesn't stray into any kind of melodramatic emotions or social messaging, but stays true to its genre and delivers what's promised. Samarth Kadkol is certainly a name to be noticed, with the potential for a promising future in Kannada cinema.'EAK', from a writing point of view, is tightly knit with all loose ends tied by the end of the 122-minute runtime. However, it is not without flaws, and that is particularly evident in the first half of the film. The story takes its own sweet time to start gathering pace. The sluggish narrative in the first half leaves one thinking, 'These ideas are interesting but why am I feeling bored?' This is evident because, although the ideas seem interesting, the scenes written to execute them are undercooked.The second half is certainly the strength of the film. It is packed with rib-tickling jokes paired with flabbergasting twists - a chemistry that, when done right, is a match-winner (e.g. 'Andhadhun'). An escalation that starts at the interval keeps scaling new heights until the big climax reveal (a perfect one at that) - and then some. The 'then some' are the additional revelations stacked after the main climax, which were intended to resolve loose ends, but the execution felt somewhat underwhelming.advertisementDiganth shoulders the film efficiently as he carries the entertainment quotient of the film - without which the film would have collapsed. He makes the best use of his innocent demeanour and comic timing to make Lohith believable and invoke a connection between the audience and the story. Dhanu Harsha, another debutant, has also done a good job with her role as Radhika. Her character's name and the situations she faces with Lohith by her side are certainly a reminder of DJ Tillu and his Radhika from the Telugu film, 'DJ Tillu'.The rest of the cast, including Nidhi Subbaiah, Krishna Hebbale and others, along with cameos by Nirup Bhandari and Radhika Narayan, deliver good performances that complement Diganth and raise the bars of the film. Diganth and Nidhi Subbaiah's pairing - a duo loved by the Kannada audience in the 2010 Yogaraj Bhat film 'Pancharangi' - was a reunion that was anticipated, but not what was expected.advertisementCinematography by Abhimanyu Sadanandan and editing by Praveen Shivanna stand out in the film, making it technically appealing as well. Even though the film was operated on a limited budget, the aesthetic frames, set designs, colour themes and more made it visually appealing. The match cuts, innovative transitions and crisp edits kept the film engaging. The rest of the technical departments also contributed effectively to the film's impact.A good balance has been maintained throughout the film that neither lets it become too commercial nor allows it to get too deeply involved in technical storytelling. The director found a sweet spot and held on to it throughout the film, ensuring an enjoyable flavour. For those who are suckers for gritty situational comedy with good twists and deadly turns, 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana' is certainly recommended. 3.5 out of for 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana'.