Kapata Nataka Sutradhari Movie Review: A sharp political satire that hits home

When satire is done right, it doesn't just make you laugh, it makes you think. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari, directed by Dhiraj MV, begins as a rural comedy but soon unfolds into a bold political satire. Tackling religious divides, caste bias, media hypocrisy, and performative politics, this film becomes a mirror to society.

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The film opens with a devotional hymn to Lord Eshwar, setting a spiritual tone. From there, we are taken to a higher primary school, where Manoj (Murali Shankar), a timid teacher in his mid-30s, struggles to maintain control. "My name is ordinary, and so is my life," he says a line that lingers.

Manoj takes leave from school and travels to Raibag, a historic town, to visit a thousand-year-old temple that opens to devotees only two days a year, and also to meet a prospective bride. He is joined by his colleagues, and as they arrive in Raibag, he meets Shivu (Shivakumar), a software engineer earning ?20 lakh a year who also works as a temple priest. Also present is Abhirama (Abhirama Arjuna), a man preparing for the panchayat elections, known for his shallow charity and loud moral posturing.