| Rakshasa | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lohith H. |
| Written by | Lohith H. |
| Produced by | Deepu B. S. |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jebin P. Jacob |
| Edited by | C. Ravichandran |
| Music by | Varun Unni |
Production company | Shanvi Entertainments |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
Rakshasa is a 2025 Indian Kannada-language horror thriller film written and directed by Lohith H. The film stars Prajwal Devaraj and Sonal Monteiro.
Satya, a suspended police officer, is asked to catch three criminals near Ongole and keep them in an old railway station police outpost. In the basement of this station lies a wooden trunk that holds a Brahmarakshasa— a demon locked away centuries ago by Saint Ramanujacharya. During an eclipse called the “dark hour,” Satya unknowingly opens the trunk, freeing the demon and starting a strange time loop where the same one hour repeats again and again. Satya and the criminals are trapped inside, facing the demon’s attacks while learning bits of its history. Each loop gets more dangerous, and Satya also struggles with his own past. Using what he learns in every repeat, Satya plans to seal the demon back. In the climax, he succeeds in locking the Brahmarakshasa again, breaking the loop and ending the curse. Morning comes, but the film hints that bigger secrets remain, leaving space for the next chapter.
Prior to the production of this film, Lohith and Prajwal Devaraj had already worked on the film Mafia. [3] Initially, the film was titled A Tale of Devil, but the makers changed it to Rakshasa due to Darshan's film being titled The Devil . [4] The filming took place in Ramoji Film City for over fifty-five days. [5] [6] [7] A few portions of the film were shot in Bangalore, Rameswaram, and Goa. [8]
The film has songs composed by Varun Unni. [9]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Oh Nanna Jeevave" | Dhananjay Ranjan | Kapil Kapilan | 3:25 |
| 2. | "Ra Ra Rakshasa" | Dhananjay Ranjan | Varun Unni | 3:25 |
| Total length: | 6:50 | |||
Rakshasa was initially scheduled to be released on 26 February 2025, [10] [11] but it was postponed and was released theatrically on 7 March 2025. [8]
Sridevi S. of The Times of India rated the film three out of five stars and wrote, "Despite minor flaws, the movie captures the audience's attention. The film takes off like a commercial caper, but gains momentum once the demon is unleashed." [12] Shashiprasad SM of Times Now gave it three out of five stars and wrote, "On the downside, Rakshasa may not appeal to casual viewers looking for straightforward thrills and chills, as it leaves many questions unanswered. However, beyond the time-loop concept, the film does have genuinely scary sequences." [13]
Suhasini B. Srihari of Deccan Herald gave it two out of five stars and wrote, "The story seems to confuse the genres of mythology and horror. The generic horror elements, such as the presence of a creepy doll and doors shutting by themselves, are a desperate attempt to make the film sell under the horror banner." [2] A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express wrote, "Though Rakshasa: Part 2 may feel incomplete, it sets the stage for what’s to come." [1]
