Rasa Movie Review: Rasa – A Darkly Flavorful Tale

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

UNN: Review / ‘Rasa’ is a commendable attempt at a concept-driven feature that breaks away from the formulaic. It may not be visually dazzling or packed with stylised elements or songs, but it leans on the strength of storytelling, a haunting background score, and strong performances. Above all, it’s an acquired taste—but one worth sampling.
This film is a spirited venture from three artistic collaborators—Rutuja Patil, Angith Jayaraj, and Preetish Jayaraj—who also take on production, costume, and other key roles. Veteran actor Shishir Sharma lends gravitas and intensity to the film, delivering lines that border on the outlandish with finesse. Bissa and Chawla make confident debuts. While the acting anchors the narrative, the story is solid enough to warrant a suspension of disbelief. The cooking, prep, and tasting sequences are handled effectively, which is no small feat given the cinematic legacy of chef-based films. A post-viewing analysis will likely uncover two major plot flaws, but such imperfections are common in Indian cinema, regardless of scale or budget.
An Indian independent film releasing in theaters in the current scenario is pleasantly surprising. ‘Rasa,’ an experimental thriller directed by Angith Jayaraj and Preetish Jayaraj, stands out with its well-written plot.
A young chef, Varun (Rishi Bissa), is dealing with personal trauma while working a dead-end job at a small restaurant. Despite having studied at a top culinary school in France, he has lost interest in pursuing his career, burdened by his father’s suicide and massive student loans. He stumbles upon an opportunity to compete for a chance to assist the enigmatic, storied Chef Ananta (Shishir Sharma), whose exclusive meal invites are priced in lakhs and seem to work wonders on his guests.