LANDLORD – A Moving Story Stands Tall with Strong Performances and Technical Excellence

As its powerful tagline declares — “This is not the story of the rulers, but of the ones who endure” — Landlord plunges deep into the brutal realities of power, land and survival.

Rachayya (Vijay) and his wife Ningavva (Rachita Ram), along with their young daughter Bhagya (Rithanya), migrate from Ramadurga to a labourers’ settlement in Thegginakere, near Hulidurga, hoping to build a better life. But in this village, even breathing freely requires permission from the local feudal lord — the menacing Sanna Dhani (Raj B. Shetty). Though law mandates cash wages, the landlord pays workers in grain, ruthlessly exploiting the people of Thegginakere. Rachayya, dreams of cultivating his own two acres of land to fulfil his late mother’s wish. But for Sanna Dhani ‘in a world where even an inch of land makes someone a “lord,” people like Rachayya are never meant to become owners.

Despite relentless oppression, Rachayya chooses silence and endurance, believing that suffering is written into his fate. Even when he is wronged, he tries to compromise by handing over his land to the landlord. But blinded by money and power, Sanna Dhani turns confrontation into open warfare — and from there, the massacre begins. As violence escalates, Rachayya’s mysterious past is slowly revealed. Who is he really? Why did he leave Ramadurga? What happens Next? and why? These questions drive the gripping narrative.

After penning the 1970s-set conflict drama Katera, director Jadesh K. Hampi returns with another intense rural saga, this time set in the arid Kolar belt of Karnataka. Landlord vividly recreates the dialect, customs and social fabric of the era, immersing viewers in a world ruled by feudal cruelty. Duniya Vijay is outstanding, effortlessly switching between innocence and ferocity, reminding audiences of his iconic Duniya. The film includes several scenes that only Vijay could pull off with such raw conviction. His action sequences are thunderous and gripping. Rachita Ram surpasses even her acclaimed performance in Coolie movie as Kalyani, delivering a deeply moving portrayal. Rithanya impresses in her very first outing. Raj B. Shetty, Umashree, Shishir Baikadi and Rakesh Adiga leave a strong impact, with Raj particularly shining in the second half after settling into the Kolar dialect. Ajaneesh Loknath’s music, especially Ningavva and Romanchaka, elevates the emotional and dramatic beats. The dialogues by Masti and team strike a chord with their earthy, lived-in authenticity.