Agnyathavasi Teaser: A Ruskin Bond-meets-Agatha Christie world awaits us in this moody mystery

Janardhan Chikkanna of Gultoo fame is back with his second directorial which is an alluring mystery thriller that is nestled in the heart of the western ghats of Karnataka. Titled Agnyathavasi, the film is set in the 1990s and has the very talented Rangayana Raghu leading the film with Paavana Gowda, Siddu Moolimani, Sharath Lohithashwa, Ravishankar Gowda and others as part of the central cast.

Hemanth M. Rao produces the film along with Prachura P.P and Jayalakshmi and the team unveiled the maiden teaser earlier today to offer the much-awaited glimpse of its world.

"This town is cursed," says Rangayana Raghu's character as he sets off the siren to warn those around him about the imminent danger. The danger or the threat he refers to seems almost palpable through the teaser and much of it has to be attributed to the moody setting that Janardhan Chikkanna and his team have managed to create. Quite evidently, Agnyathavasi boasts striking visuals that both reveal and also withhold parts of the mystery and one can expect Advaitha Gurumurthy's cinematography to be a great aide to Janardhan's storytelling. Charan Raj's score, a blend of eerie and punchy rock music, is likely to be another highlight along with Ullas Hydur's production design.

Though the film is set more than 25 years in the past, the makers seem to have taken a conscious decision to not explicitly render a 'period' setting. Instead, the era seems to have been conceived in a more matter-of-fact manner which should come in handy for smooth storytelling. 

In his previous conversation with OTTplay, producer and filmmaker Hemanth Rao revealed that he was immediately drawn to the script of Agnyathavasi which in turn compelled him to produce the film. This is his fourth production after Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (also director), Humble Politician Nograj, and Bheema Sena Nala Maharaja.