Title – Shikandi, Producer – Pola Praveen Kumar, Director – Gurumurthy V, Music – Manju Kavi, Cinematography – Swamy Mysuru, Cast – Yuvaraj Gowda, Nikhil, Nikitha Swamy, Deepak Shetty, Neethu Vanajakshi, Raghavendra, Chandini, Veda, Bala Rajwadi, Nayana, Vijay Chendur and others.
Transgender themes are still rarely explored in visual media. In Shikandi, the issue is presented with greater depth and emotional importance, giving the film a meaningful touch. As we know, Shikhandi in the Mahabharata appears before Pitamaha Bhishmacharya during the Kurukshetra war — a strategic move by Lord Krishna to weaken the otherwise unconquerable Bhishma. Though this reference is briefly mentioned in the film, the narrative soon shifts towards seven transgender who appear at the sacred place of Yallamma Devi.
The first half of the film progresses in a familiar manner, but the background story of Surya, who arrives with his colleagues from a construction company — Chandini, Swapna, Dimple, Santosh, and Naveena — gives the film a fresh angle. Sangeetha, the female lead, dreams of building a quality hospital in a remote part of Karnataka. The story then unfolds through a 20-year-old flashback, which brings a new dimension to the film as the transgender characters become central to the narrative.
We are introduced to Poornachandra and his wife, who are desperate to have a child. On the advice of a Jogathi, they approach seven transgender devotees of Yallamma Devi. After performing a special pooja, the couple is blessed with a baby boy. The transgender consider the child very special, believing he carries the blessings of Lord Shiva.
However, Poornachandra’s business rival, Amaranath Rajendra, creates major trouble and becomes responsible for the deaths of the seven transgenders — an act considered a bad omen. Once the flashback ends, the story returns to the present, where Surya’s painful past is revealed. What follows is a mix of action, suspense, and emotional drama that keeps the audience engaged until the end.
Yuvaraj Gowda, making his debut as Surya, looks impressive on screen, though he still has room for improvement in acting. Nikhil, who appears in the flashback portions, has a strong screen presence. The female lead performs adequately. The track involving the seven transgender characters reveals several surprising elements and gives emotional strength to the film.
The comedy portions featuring Nayana and Vijay Chendur do not contribute much to the narrative. The actor playing Bhadra shows promise for a bright future in cinema. Bala Rajwadi and Deepak Shetty deliver powerful performances. The song on Yallamma Devi featuring the transgenders stands out as the best song in the film. The dialogues are effective in several places and suit the situations well.
Cinematographer Mysuru Swamy has worked hard behind the camera and captures some convincing wide-angle shots. Those interested in learning more about transgender history and enjoying an action-packed thriller can give Shikhandi a watch.
