Athreya’s quest for his own identity is tied to a past he’s never known. He’s told he’s an orphan and seeks to find his parents while solving the murders. A personal connection to the case is just out of reach, with clues pointing to the deaths and hidden secrets in the village. The discovery of an unidentified poison in Vishwanath’s body deepens the mystery, as does newspaper editor Balarama’s (Prashanth Nata) revelation that ties the deaths together.
The film introduces Markhandaya (MK Mata), whose significance becomes clearer as the investigation unfolds. The fate of the girl and the woman found in the forest intertwines with Athreya’s journey and the village’s hidden truths.
As the investigation progresses, the line between myth and reality blurs. Secrets buried for generations surface, revealing a much darker and more complex story behind the deaths and the fate of Athreya’s parents. Directed by Chayan Shetty, Adhipatra mixes myth and mystery, but the supernatural elements feel secondary, failing to carry the narrative’s weight. The film focuses on the investigation, but the folklore only emerges at the end, without fully exploring its connection to the present-day events in the village.
Athreya’s emotional journey and his search for answers about his parents could have anchored the narrative, but the film doesn’t delve deeply enough into his inner turmoil. Roopesh Shetty’s performance is earnest, but his character sometimes feels adrift in the complex plot. Supporting characters like Bruhati (Jahnavi Mahadi), a journalist investigating the murders, are underutilised. Bruhati’s backstory could have added depth, but she remains a peripheral figure in Athreya’s journey. Apart from them, there are a host of actors from the coastal belt, including Raghu Pandeshwar and Deepak Rai Panaje.