Ramakrishna Sanapathi

Ramakrishna Sanapathi’s “Dhakshina” (2024) drops you right into the thick of small-town chaos, where tradition is basically a character in itself, stubbornly refusing to budge. The story follows a family that's just barely keeping it together, clutching onto their old ways in a world that keeps shoving change in their faces. There’s a lot of raw tension simmering under the surface—everyone’s got secrets, and, honestly, nobody’s willing to let go of the past without a fight. The main character, torn between family loyalty and this burning urge to just break free, finds himself tangled in a mess of expectations. It's almost like he's got a foot in two worlds—one stuck in rituals and superstitions, the other itching to just smash the whole system apart. His relationships? Yeah, they’re messy, complicated, and painfully real. Friends turn on each other, lovers get caught in the crossfire, and even the so-called “wise elders” are just as lost as everyone else. You see the fallout from choices—bad ones, desperate ones, some that just make you cringe. There’s this constant tug-of-war between guilt and hope, and the stakes feel way too high for comfort. The film never shies away from the ugly stuff: betrayal, regret, the kind of family drama that makes you want to scream. But, through all the chaos, there’s a glimmer of redemption, even if it’s just out of reach. “Dhakshina” isn’t about heroes or villains; it’s all messy, flawed people trying to find their place in a world that won’t cut them any slack.