RK Pinapala

RK Pinapala’s “Jathara” (2024) isn’t your typical flick—it’s that kind of movie that creeps up on you, cranks up the tension, and refuses to let go. Set in a dusty Andhra village that feels like it’s stuck halfway between the old world and the new, the story dives headfirst into the chaos of a centuries-old ritual called Jathara. This isn’t just background noise either. The festival? It’s the heartbeat of the place, pulsing through everyone’s lives, stirring up secrets people thought they’d buried deep. You’ve got Ravi, a stubborn, hot-headed guy who’s always butting heads with his family and, honestly, most of the village. He’s not exactly the hero type—more like the guy who finds himself in trouble without even trying. When the annual Jathara festival rolls around, Ravi gets tangled up in a mess involving missing money, old grudges, and a forbidden love that’s basically a ticking time bomb. The way the story weaves together Ravi’s drama with the village’s superstitions and age-old vendettas? Wild. It’s not all doom and gloom though. There’s plenty of sharp humor, a bit of romance, and those moments where the drama gets so real you almost forget you’re watching a movie. Pinapala doesn’t just show you rural India—he throws you right into it, mud and all. By the end, you’re left wondering if anyone really escapes the grip of tradition, or if the past just keeps coming back for more.