Kannada cinema might be known across India due to the Yash & Prashant Neel-led KGF franchise but in terms of pure content-driven high-concept film-making, the trio of Rakshit Shetty, Raj B Shetty, and Rishab Shetty are the true forces to be reckoned with. And now, after having already captured our imaginations with "Kirik Party (2016)" and "Avane Srimannarayana (2019)", in "777 Charlie", an adventure drama about the love between a man and his furry best friend, Rakshit Shetty has rendered another masterpiece in emotive, heartfelt filmmaking.

The movie tells us the story of Dharma (Rakshit Shetty), a compulsive loner and misanthrope who seems to be spiraling down a path of self-destruction. Into his life comes Charlie the loveable runaway labrador dog and how their initially fractious relationship turns into an endearing lifelong bond forms the rest of the story. Rakshit Shetty is absolutely terrific as the morose, deeply damaged Dharma and steals your heart in the second half, especially in the emotionally charged scenes with his subtle performance.

It is hard to imagine anybody not falling for the cuteness of Charlie the dog at first sight. The loveable white labrador is the heart and soul of the film and the trainers deserve all the praise in the world for how they make sure she immaculately performed in line with the narrative. Nobin Paul's music is uplifting and emotional in equal measure, supercharging an already gut-wrenching story. How man's best friend can take over one's whole world to fill the emptiness in our hearts is portrayed with conviction and a lot of soul by the makers.

Director Kiranraj K and writers Raj B Shetty and Abhijit Mahesh are careful to avoid all the run-of-the-mill tropes usually associated with movies about pet love, going down radically different routes whenever you feel like the movie is becoming predictable. It is inexplicable how actor-writer-director Raj B Shetty is able to shift gears from the gory and violent "Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021)" to writing this soulful adventure drama and also play a quirky, delightfully comic character in the same.

After the soul-stirring "Thangam" short in "Paava Kadhaigal" (2020) and the Oscar-winning "CODA (2021)", "777 Charlie" is the only movie that had me reaching for the tissues in recent memory, such is the beautiful relationship between Dharma and Charlie. This is one movie to be experienced and not analyzed so I will stop myself here. Go watch it in theatres and I promise there won't be a dry eye in the hall. Highly, highly recommended!