By Parvathy Ananthanarayanan Mangala
Movie details:
Director: Karthik Radhakrishnan
Writer: Imayam
Screenplay: Karthik Radhakrishnan
Producer: Maheshwarapandiyan Saravanan
Cast: Baskar R
Runtime: 1h 14m 9s
Language: Tamil
World Premiere: Jagran Film Festival, Delhi (6th September 2025)
Review:
Cinema often dazzles us with complex plots and big spectacles, but sometimes it is the simplest stories that carry the most weight. Aakasathin Utharavu (An Order from the Sky), directed by first-time filmmaker Karthik Radhakrishnan, proves exactly that. The premise is as minimal as it gets: a villager, Aakasam, visits his Kuladev deity to seek permission before heading out for his daily work — which happens to be stealing. That’s the one-line story. But within that simplicity lies a powerful meditation on faith, survival, society, and the eternal bond between culture and human struggle.
Shot in a single continuous take, the film never lets us step away from Aakasam. We watch him offer his prayers, plead for blessings, complain about his fate, and even threaten his God when he feels unheard. It is both personal and universal. Aakasam speaks not only for himself, but for all of us who carry unspoken burdens, who seek someone — human or divine — to listen. The terracotta horses and hounds around the deity stand as silent witnesses, grounding the story in a deeply Indian cultural space while making it feel timeless and relatable.
Baskar R’s performance is the heartbeat of the film. Carrying an entire narrative alone is never easy, but he sustains emotion and intensity for over 74 minutes, making us believe in his anger, vulnerability, and hope. His voice becomes our voice, his frustration our frustration, and his eventual resolution something we too feel.
What makes An Order from the Sky remarkable is how it integrates Indian traditions and rituals with real-world struggles. In today’s fast-paced, globalized world, it is rare to see a film that treats culture not as a backdrop but as the very essence of the narrative. By adapting Imayam’s short story with honesty and restraint, Karthik Radhakrishnan opens up larger questions: How relevant are rituals today? What is the place of Gods in a society that remains unjust? And do the marginalized — both men and Gods — find space in our modern world?
The film is also a celebration of experimental Indian cinema. The one-shot format, the refusal of cuts or distractions, the earthy realism of the setting — all of this shows courage and conviction. It challenges us to give our undivided attention, rewarding us with a story that lingers long after the screen goes dark.
Without giving away the climax, it is safe to say the film ends with both peace and reflection. It does not force answers upon us; instead, it allows us to sit with our own thoughts and feelings, just as Aakasam does.
In the end, Aakasathin Utharavu is more than a film — it is a reminder of what cinema can do when it dares to step away from formula and return to the roots of Indian culture, while also addressing modern realities. These are the kinds of films we need more of: stories that not only entertain but also challenge, question, and expand our way of seeing the world.
Karthik Radhakrishnan, along with his team, has gifted us something rare — a debut that is honest, original, and deeply moving. One can only hope that more such brilliant works continue to emerge, breaking barriers of language, region, and style, while keeping alive the essence of Indian storytelling. For me, this is the kind of cinema that makes us proud and hopeful about the future.
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