The Task is a brisk, well-meant chase thriller, constantly running even when unsure of where it wants to arrive

The Task Movie Review

Director Raghu Shivamogga’s The Task opens like a procedural. An awards-stage interview is shown, that has the anchor (Tanisha Kuppanda) questioning a retired police officer (Achyuth Kumar) and a lawyer (Sangeetha Bhat) about their ‘celebrity status.’ The irony is clear. Those who became popular for serving the public are now remembered more by social media than by society. The film tries to maintain this half-truth, half-theatre tone, with mixed results.

At its core, the story springs from speculation that rose during the post-Covid confusion. Were covert medical experiments conducted on unsuspecting citizens? Raghu builds his narrative around the growing chatter on post-Covid cardiac issues. Instead of a slow-burn investigation, the film often feels like scattered footnotes stitched into a chase thriller.

Director: Raghu Shivamogga

Cast: Raghu Shivamogga, Shree Lakshmi, Jaya Surya R Azad, Sagar Ram, Achyuth Kumar, Sangeetha Bhat

The plot moves like a relay race. Siri (Shrilakshmi Bhat), a Kodagu-based schoolgirl raised by middle-class parents (Gopalkrishna Deshpande and Harini Sundarraj), suddenly becomes the center of unwanted attention. The girl, still in Class 10, believes it carries some strange importance. One side insists she must stay away from Bengaluru, while another demands she be brought there immediately. This tug-of-war forms the story’s moral hinge.

Vishnu (Sagar Ram) and Kanthi (Jaya Surya R Azad) take up the task of bringing Siri (Shree Lakshmi) to the city on instructions from the retired officer. The intervention is sought by the lawyers. They come from a place where idealism survives on borrowed time. Kanthi, an orphan raised by Vishnu’s parents, has seen the inside of jail. Both youngsters are martial arts enthusiasts and social workers who try to do good without documenting it online. Every family sees doctors as gods during a crisis. When those same people turn into a threat, the ground shifts violently. These two young men rise to confront those who exploit the system. Their camaraderie works, but the writing rarely gives them room to breathe, keeping them constantly on the run.

Once the narrative enters Kodagu, the film becomes a non-stop chase, and that is where the cracks appear. Boys run with the girl, villains run after them, police chase the villains, and a corporate doctor (Balaji Manohar) pulls invisible strings. Raghu wants the terrain’s winding roads to mirror the narrative’s twists, but many of these turns feel engineered rather than earned. Some moments land, especially when the film slows and lets fear gather in the silences. Many others feel like detours added merely to sustain tension.

Balaji Manohar exudes cold corporate menace in the film. Achyuth Kumar lends weary moral weight to the retired-cop role. Sangeetha Bhat complements him with quiet resolve. Shree Lakshmi, stays grounded, even while most of her scenes bring with loud emotions and rush. The young actors, Jaya Surya Azad and Ram Sagar, follow the director’s instructions with discipline. Raghu Shivamogga’s own performance as Burmappa, a deranged hunter with a gaze that curdles the frame, slices through the film. A chilling encounter with Siri stands out, raw, uncomfortable, and brutal. In that moment, the actor overtakes the filmmaker in him.

The final reveal about Siri’s kidnapping links the post-Covid medical conspiracy to the film’s social concerns. But the explanation comes too neatly, softening the tension built through the first half. Thrillers must earn their truth. Here, the truth feels narrated rather than uncovered.

Technically, the film moves with confidence. Arjun Raj’s stunt design gives the action its muscle. Pradeep’s cinematography uses Kodagu’s canopy with intent. Judah Sandy’s background score tries to keep the trail alive.

The Task is a brisk, well-meant chase thriller, constantly running even when unsure of where it wants to arrive. Raghu Shivamogga’s ambition is clear, the intent is honest, and the social concern is timely. The real question is this: do films like The Task show us the cracks in society, or do they let us run alongside the story without ever catching up? The film wants to warn, question, and provoke, yet its impact depends on how much the audience chooses to carry home.

source: http://www.cinemaexpress.com / Cinema Express / Home> Reviews / by A Shradhaaaa / November 22nd, 2025

Foaming chemical-laden water flowing into the River Cauvery caused panic among residents, and several Sabarimala pilgrims who entered the river reported itching and other skin problems.

Foam-filled untreated water was let into the river, and several people who took a dip in the Cauvery near Kushalnagar complained of skin irritation.(Photo | Express)

Madikeri : 

Numerous court orders, multiple notices, directions from the Human Rights Commission and countless complaints, yet none of these measures have ensured the protection of the River Cauvery, which allegedly continues to bear the brunt of rapid urbanisation.

Recently, foam-filled untreated water was let into the river, and several people who took a dip in the Cauvery near Kushalnagar complained of skin irritation. While residents have demanded strict laws to protect the river, the administration has allegedly turned a deaf ear.

Foaming chemical-laden water flowing into the River Cauvery caused panic among residents, and several Sabarimala pilgrims who entered the river reported itching and other skin problems.

Officials of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board confirmed that the foamy water was the result of a pipeline fault, and added that illegal connections were allegedly being attached to unfinished underground drains, causing untreated water to be released into the river.

While officials rushed to the spot and repaired the broken pipelines, the river continues to suffer from unchecked urbanisation, with several commercial establishments allegedly letting untreated wastewater into it.

“River Cauvery is being polluted from its origin in Talacauvery and Bhagamandala, and the situation gets worse in Kushalnagar, where numerous commercial set-ups have encroached on the river’s buffer zone,” said Chandramohan, the convener of the Cauvery Swachata Andolana Committee.

He stated that several commercial buildings, including resorts and factories functioning within Kushalnagar limits, are allegedly letting wastewater directly into the river and no action has been taken to control the problem.

“The riverbank is being neglected due to vote banks,” he alleged, adding that the administration has not initiated stringent laws despite rising pollution levels.

He further lamented that no action has been taken to evict illegal establishments from the river’s buffer zone, despite numerous complaints to the municipality and district administration.

“We have submitted requests demanding stringent laws for the river’s protection to a total of eight Deputy Commissioners and seven Chief Ministers in the past 15 years. But no permanent measures have been put in place to curb illegal activities in the river’s buffer zone, and the river continues to face the brunt,” he said.

He demanded that the district administration maintain a separate file for the protection of the River Cauvery and appoint a nodal officer to ensure its preservation.

When questioned about the action taken by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, in-charge officer Umashanker said, “The foamy water was a result of a broken pipeline, which has now been fixed. Notices were issued to the concern to take corrective measures.”

However, residents argue that these notices are issued without any follow-up. “If stringent laws are not passed to preserve River Cauvery, it might be too late to save the river,” Chandramohan opined.

The Human Rights Commission has also instructed the Deputy Commissioner to take measures to control pollution in water bodies in the district. However, the DC was not available for comment.

Toxic water that leaked into the River Cauvery recently caused foaming in the river.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Prajna GR / November 21t, 2025

Mysore/Mysuru:

B.B. Vishal Uthappa, an 8th std. student of Pragathi Elite Public School in city, has won silver medal in U-14 badminton at the recently held Fourth Karnataka Mini Sports event jointly organised by Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports and Karnataka Olympic Association.

He is the son of Boppanda Bheemaiah and Kusuma of Mysuru and younger brother of National-level badminton player Boppanda Diya Bheemaiah.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / November 13th, 2025

Volunteers and stakeholders participating in the ‘Clean Coorg’ campaign in Kodagu on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The ‘Swachh Kodagu Sundara Kodagu’ campaign held on Wednesday evoked a positive response from the public, in what is reckoned to be the largest such initiative in the district.

Held simultaneously across the district, it was organised by the Coorg Hotel and Restaurant Association and entailed the participation of thousands of volunteers and stakeholders.

Mantar Gowda, MLA; Venkat Raja, Deputy Commissioner; and others inaugurated the event at General Thimayya Circle in Madikeri.

Mr. Gowda, while appreciating the initiative and the spirit behind the campaign, said that Kodagu was endowed with natural and scenic beauty and it was the duty of every citizen to protect it. He drew attention to some of the policies of the district administration and pointed out that there was already a ban on Single-Use Plastic (SUP) and the sale of water bottles below the capacity of two litres — all of which has helped reduce waste.

Stating that cleanliness should not be a one-day affair, Mr. Gowda called for a 24×7 drive throughout the year so as to ensure that cleanliness becomes a part of culture of the district.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that the waste collected during the campaign would be shifted to a waste management facility for the scientific disposal of garbage. Nodal officers have been appointed to oversee waste collection and its proper disposal in all taluks, said Mr. Venkat Raja.

K. Dinesh Kariappa, who represented the assocaition, said that over 320 organisations took part in the campaign and the response exceeded expectations. Although tourism has been blamed for environmental problems, efforts have been made to promote sustainable tourism and this initiative was a part of it, added Mr. Kariappa.

The association said that the ‘Clean Coorg’ campaign will not be a one-day affair but similar drives will be held at local levels periodically across the district with a focus on places of tourist interest.

The campaign was supported by the Kodagu district administration, zilla panchayat, Tourism Department, and Madikeri City Municipal Council among others.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / October 15th, 2025

As part of World Mental Health Day observed on Oct. 10 every year, a free mental health camp and awareness talk will be held at Kodava Samaja premises, Vijayanagar 1st Stage, Mysuru, tomorrow (Oct. 11) at 10.30 am.

The programme has been organised by Viveka Hospital and Viveka Foundation

[Helpline: 6364 111 001 / 002 / 003]

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> In Briefs / October 10th, 2025

Gonikoppal (Kodagu): 

Coorg Public School, in collaboration with the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), ISRO, Bengaluru, will host the World Space Week-2025 celebrations on Oct. 8 at its campus in Gonikoppal.

World Space Week, observed annually between Oct. 4 and 10, is the largest space event on Earth, celebrated across more than 90 countries. It commemorates two landmark events in space history — the launch of Sputnik, the world’s first human-made satellite on 4th October 1957, and the signing of the UN treaty on peaceful uses of outer space on 10th October 1967.

This year’s theme is “Space and Climate Change,” focusing on the critical role of space science in addressing global environmental challenges.

The celebrations at Coorg Public School will feature lectures by senior ISRO scientists, an exhibition of rockets and spacecraft models, student–scientist interaction sessions, competitions, and a prize distribution ceremony. Prize-winning students will also be given an exclusive opportunity to visit the URSC campus in Bengaluru and participate in the World Space Week valedictory function on Oct. 10.

All government and private schools and PU colleges in Kodagu, both Kannada and English medium, may participate. Institutions are requested to nominate a minimum of 10 students from each school/college and send registration details to copsgonikoppal@gmail.com.

The competitions are open for students of Grades 8, 9, 10, I PUC, and II PUC as per the guidelines shared.

For details and registration contact: Principal, Coorg Public School via e-mail: copsgonikoppal@gmail.com or over Mob: 6362925101 (between 9.30 am and 12 noon).

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 29th, 2025

Madikeri:

D. Vinod Shivappa, a coffee planter from Kodagu, has been re-elected as Chairman of the prestigious Bangalore Turf Club (BTC). He was elected unopposed during the Annual General Body Meeting of the Club held at Bengaluru recently.

Also, K. Uday Eswaran, Satish N. Gowda and Naval R. Narielwala were elected as Stewards, while Dr. L. Srinivasa Reddy and D.K. Ashwin as members and Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department, Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru

City Police Commissioner and Prof. S.M. Jayadevappa as Government representatives.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / December 25th, 2020

With the aim of providing self-employment opportunities to unemployed youth in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, the first phase of the Barista Coffee SkillTraining programme concluded at the Youth Training Centre (YTC) in Araku Valley on Saturday.

The five-day programme was organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) under the supervision of Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar. A total of 58 unemployed youth from across the district applied to participate, of whom 15 were trained in the first batch.

District Skill Development Officer Rohini and Coffee Board trainer Yatish Gowda monitored the sessions. At the valedictory function on Saturday, the Coffee Board issued certificates to the trainees. The trained candidates will now have opportunities to secure employment in reputed companies such as Barista Coffee, Starbucks, Café Coffee Day, and other private coffee enterprises, Ms. Rohini said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vishakhapatnam / by The Hindu Bureau / September 07th, 2025