It takes 2 Mohanlal to makes this wafer-thin story entertaining, reincarnation actioner good in parts, but…
L2: After scoring a hat-trick with Empuraan, Thudarum and Hridayapoorvam, Mohanlal ended 2025 with his reincarnation star Vrusshabha. But this movie is watchable mostly because of Mohanlal’s dual roles and interesting story that needs a better narrative.
Director: Nanda Kishore
Cast: Mohanlal, Samarjit Lankesh, Nayan Sarika
Duration: 2 hours 8 minutes
Where to watch: In theaters
Rating: 3 stars
Coming off the back of a remarkable year in which Mohanlal delighted three consecutive audiences, Vrusshabha comes with huge expectations. Directed by Nanda Kishore, the film attempts to blend reincarnation, destiny and the father-son bond in a pan-Indian fantasy spectacle. While the idea is intriguing and the emotional backbone is clearly defined, the execution often struggles to live up to the ambition.
Mohanlal plays Aadi Deva Varma, a modern-day businessman who is haunted by dreams of his past life as the warrior king Vrusshabha. In parallel, his son Tej begins to experience similar ailments and gradually uncovers a curse that has followed them throughout their lives. The basic concept – enemies reborn as father and son – is intriguing and provides fertile ground for emotional and philosophical exploration.
It is Mohanlal who holds the film together. He brings gravitas and effortless authority to both roles, whether as a measured, caring father or an extraordinary king bearing the burden of fate. His presence on screen commands attention even when the narrative falters. But for a player who is constantly raising the bar in 2025, Vrusshabha doesn’t quite give him the dramatic depth or layered writing his talent deserves.
Where the film stumbles is in its pacing and presentation. At over two hours, it feels like its runtime has been stretched, with scenes that could have benefited from tighter editing. Emotional arguments, especially between father and son, often last longer than necessary and their effects diminish. The visual effects look unbalanced despite the film’s scale; It’s serviceable in parts, but falls noticeably substandard at key fantasy moments, pulling the viewer out of the immersive experience.
Samarjit Lankesh shows promise but is let down by a character that vacillates between extremes and the supporting cast is underutilized. Technically, the film has strong sound design and a stirring background score, but these elements only work so well when the momentum of the narrative slows down.
All in all, Vrusshabha is a film that will resonate the most with die-hard Mohanlal fans who enjoy watching the legend in any avatar. For avid moviegoers who witnessed the actor’s meteoric rise earlier this year, the film may seem like a missed opportunity; It’s good in intention, sincere in emotion, but lacks the mastery expected from a project of this scale. As always, expectations are very high when it comes to Mohanlal and this is perhaps Vrusshabha’s toughest challenge.
