A well-educated, talented, and shrewd team behind Vikalpa—a film largely made by new talent and built around a gripping psychological-thriller narrative—is gearing up for its theatrical release. The film, which promises a twist every 12 minutes across its two-hour runtime, is set to hit the silver screens on January 30.
Adding to the buzz, Vikalpa has already attracted interest from OTT platforms and is slated for release in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi as well.
The team has completed most of the post-production work and has submitted the film to the censor board. Promotional activities have begun gradually, and the makers recently unveiled the first teaser of Vikalpa. Senior Kannada film director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar released the teaser virtually and conveyed his best wishes to the team. Senior journalist Jogi (H. Girish Rao) formally released the teaser and wished the team success.
As the title suggests, Vikalpa is an out-and-out psychological thriller that explores the subconscious emotions and inner turbulence of the human mind. Prithviraj Patil, who brings over two decades of experience in amateur theatre and is also the Managing Director of a reputed multinational IT company, has translated his concept to the screen through Vikalpa. This marks the debut production of Mrs. Indira Shivaswamy under the banner Suroos Talkies. Director Prithviraj Patil also appears in the lead role.
The film features a large ensemble cast including Nagashree Hebbar, Harini Srikant, Sandhya Vinayak, Ganapati Vaddinagadde, Swaroop Bachh, Pooja Bachh, Jayanth David, Girish Hegde, Dr. Prakruti, Master Ayush Santosh, Ganapati Hittalakayi, Pragnya Ganapati, Madhav Sharma, Ganapati A. R., and State Award–winning Yakshagana artist Gode Narayana Hegde, among others.
Speaking about the film, Prithviraj Patil said, “Vikalpa is a psychological-thriller that brings the subconscious emotions and inner turmoil of the human mind to the screen. The word ‘Vikalpa’ refers to a state between reality and imagination. While the title may suggest a story centered on mental health, the specialty of the film is that it is a complete thriller. Along with psychological elements, the narrative is woven with subtle humor and entertainment. The story itself is the hero of this film—every character speaks, and every character touches the hearts of the audience.”
Actress Harini Srikant, who plays a psychiatrist in the film, said, “Though the entire team consists of newcomers, the film has been made in a very professional manner. Director Prithviraj has done extensive preparation. Audiences who value strong stories and writing will definitely appreciate this film.”
Lead actress Nagashree Hebbar shared, “I play a character named Samudyata, who carries deep inner turmoil but appears calm on the surface. Having worked mainly in theatre so far, this film gave me a completely new experience.”
Senior journalist and writer Jogi, who attended the teaser launch as the chief guest, said, “I have watched a few portions of Vikalpa. It is a film made by people with genuine passion for cinema. Such experimental films should continue to be made in Kannada. The story, teaser, and songs are promising, and I hope the film lives up to the expectations it has created.”
Another special aspect of Vikalpa is that several scenes were shot based on guidance from experienced mental health professionals, ensuring that the visuals remain as realistic as possible. Most of the film was shot in and around Bengaluru, Thirthahalli, Sagara, Sirsi, Kundapura, and Yellapura, with additional shoots in international locations such as Singapore and the Netherlands.
Mithun Thirthahalli has served as the co-director, while Abhiram Gowda handled cinematography and Suresh Arumugam took charge of editing. Music for the film has been composed by Samvatsara, who brings 15 years of Hindustani music training to the project. He has composed six songs and three background pieces across different genres. Lyrics are penned by Prithviraj Patil and Kaundinya Kudlutota, with vocals by Siddharth Belmannu, Samvatsara, Shriranjini, and Inchara, among others.
