Kerosene, streaming on aha, makes for an engrossing watch, all thanks to Dhruva

Written and helmed by Dhruva, Kerosene: A Burnt Truth is a Telugu movie that hit theatres on June 17. Billed as a crime thriller, the movie stars the writer-director himself Dhruva, Brahmaji, Preeti Sundar and Madhusudhan Rao in crucial roles. The film’s streaming rights were acquired by Telugu streaming platform aha. Kerosene had its digital premiere the previous weekend.

The film revolves around a series of murders in the vicinity of Janagudem that scares the daylights out of its residents. To investigate this, ACP Vaibhav takes charge. He takes every crime in the region very seriously. Meanwhile Gauri (Lavanya Chewula), daughter of Ramappa (Sammeta Gandhi) lives in the same village and is brutally raped and murdered.

A SI (Jivin) closes the case using false evidence without arresting the accused under pressure of a local MLA Dorababu (Brahmaji). A few days later, the superiors hand over the case to ACP Vaibhav (Dhruva), who identifies the criminal behind it. What challenges did Dhruva face during his investigation ? Are the murderers rightfully punished? Why was Gauri killed? One needs to watch the film to know answers.

The performances of the leads are an asset to the film. Dhruv, in particular, is exceptional with his portrayal. Brahmaji steals the show with his tongue in cheek humour. The gripping narration, thanks to a taut screenplay, manages to strike a chord with the audience.The first half of the film is mostly casual. However, the screenplay, the raw treatment and the rustic locations keep us glued to the story.

Kerosene has a great narrative high during a sequence where a murder case is solved, minutes before Gauri’s murder. The interval twist makes us long for the second half. The director, more or less, succeeds in generating an element of suspense. The background score of the crime thriller is another significant highlight. The cinematography is top-notch and the production standards are good.

The film is particularly found wanting in its editing department. A handful of inconsequential scenes make their way into both the halves of the film and it dents the impact of the narrative. Kerosene loses its momentum in the climax. The thriller is best watched for the abilities of a multi-faceted Dhruva, as a lead actor, director and a writer. On the whole, Kerosene makes for a good watch.