Aranya (2021)

But when the focus is on the elephants and Aranya, it makes for a thrilling ride. Rana is outstanding. His speech and his body language is spot on and the way he connects with the elephants is heartwarming. The real heroes, though, are the elephants and you can't help but put yourself in their shoes and feel their emotions. Enugula intlo manushula arachakam (humans create a ruckus in the elephants' home), reads a newspaper headline in the film. In a way, watching Aranya feels the same way. When you see the elephants in their natural habitat, it's a joyous watch. Alas, the humans find a way to ruin it!

On the whole, Aranya is an underwhelming adventurous drama that leaves you with mixed feelings. Barring Rana’s spirited performance and the impressive technical aspects, the film doesn’t have much to arrest the audience and make them feel for the turmoil the wild animals go through when greedy humans invade their habitat. You may watch this film for a different experience, but do keep your expectations low.

Aranya has a very good premise and would have shaped up very well if it had an engaging and emotionally touching screenplay. But sadly, Prabhu Solomon failed to deliver on this front. The film gets off to the right start but loses steam soon after. As a whole, the film does not pack a punch and ends up as an underwhelming watch.

Aranya is a story of a man, who has spent his life in the jungle and is committed to protecting it. Rana Daggubati as a mahout in the elephant corridors of India. A corporation wants to build a refinery plant in the forest, thus cutting off the natural route of the elephants. The film has been shot in the dense forests of Kerala and Thailand, and Unni was the star elephant of the film.