Plot Summary – Shiva and Hari, two friends who are polar opposites in demeanour, are the terror in Mangaladevi. What happens when ego, ambition and jealousy creeps in between their strong friendship?

Language: Kannada

Original Title: ಗರುಡ ಗಮನ ವೃಷಭ ವಾಹನ

★★★★★ 

Watched on 17 Jan 2022

Very rarely am I exploding with enthusiasm to talk about a film with whoever I can and make everyone I know watch it. Garuda Gamana Vrishbha Vahana which translates to “The one who rides the eagle, the one who rides the bull” is a classic gangster film set in Mangaluru, India. There’s nothing typical about this film though from the opening credit sequence which is reminiscent of Bond films or the style in which it tells its story. Not only is it a phenomenal gangster film, but it also manages to be so layered in its symbolism for Hindu mythology and folklore. The choice to use Purandaradasa’s devotional songs as backgrounds for intense and brutal scenes beautifully contrasts the text and the subtext as we see a moral struggle and friendship being put to the test. I really prefer not to give away parts of films while I’m reviewing them so I won’t delve into all the symbolism I saw and then read about (I might make a separate article for that). It’s an extremely layered film and some of the references are so deep that my extremely religious father also didn’t pick up initially. It’s never pretentious about its grandeur and depth and always manages to be realistic and grounded. This is thanks to the phenomenal direction by Raj B Shetty which uses slow-motion, J cuts and so many other techniques to tell this story and the style is a huge part of this film. Praveen Shriyan also does wonders with the cinematography which is so raw and frames everything so beautifully. He also handles the editing which is genius at times when from limited shots we get a lot of information. The film takes ‘Show, don’t tell” very seriously and so much is told visually without a single dialogue having to explain what happened. Every single actor down to the kids that the protagonists play cricket with are simply phenomenal. Gopalkrishna Deshpande and Rishab Shetty are incredible in their roles as they bring so much nuance and gravitas. Raj B Shetty is the standout actor however as he is an absolute power of nature in this film. His character is unforgettable and there is one scene in the rain that I will watch multiple times in my life as an achievement of filmmaking, acting, shot composition and music design. On that note, the music and score of the film are absolutely encapsulating and they immerse you in the world so effectively. I was so delighted to see how authentic the film is to Mangaluru. From the language to the Pilivesha tiger dance everything is so unique and specific to the place it takes place in. The city becomes a character in the film and it serves as an iconic backdrop for this incredible film. The film is also surprisingly funny, you wouldn’t expect this much humour in a gangster film but you can see Raj B Shetty’s strong comedic roots as he manages to bring an element of dry humour or irony in some intense moments that other directors would have played completely straight. I highly highly recommend this film to everyone, while I can’t guarantee that it will hit as hard as it did for you because of the language barrier or the lack of familiarity with the locations and culture of the place, I can guarantee that this is a cinematic experience like none other.