FEAR LOOKS, FAITH LEAPS, BLIND FAITH LANGUISHES

They say: “Faith can move mountains; doubt can create them”. Indeed, faith helps overcome fear. But, when that faith goes blind, failure follows. More so in a social milieu that has a weak moral compass.

“ಉದ್ಭವ” ('Udbhava', which means: 'emergence'), a 1990 Kannada film, won laurels for its satirical examination of blind beliefs woven into social mores. Based on BV Vaikuntaraju's novel, the movie, a parody drama, lampoons the superstitious and a system that embraces blind belief.

The male protagonist, Ranganna (Anant Nag) has no job, no income; he has a wife (Mamta Rao) and two kids on top. Yet, he is high on hope, cheer and optimism. Most vital, he is slick, shrewd and streetsmart. Endowed with gift of the gab, he knows how to play the wheels-within-wheels of the system, while posing as a social activist.

One day, Ranganna floats a rumour that the government intends to acquire land for widening the main road of the area. This ruffles the feathers of those likely to lose their plots of land for the project. Many approach Ranganna to lobby against the plan...of course, for a “fee”. The issue assumes a political tone and tenor– while one group is in favour of the project, another is opposed to it.

Soon, the controversy snowballs into a crisis with wheeler-dealer Ranganna in the thick of things with his shenanigans. How does the fella get out of the pickle? Well, he uses a well-known weakness of people: FAITH...the opium of the masses! A miracle, man-made of course, comes to his aid.

The casualty: a shelved road-widening project.

Ranganna's con makes for a captivating story, comical too, on screen. It serves as a stark reminder on the ease with which the corrupt and the crooked can use religious sentiments to hijack public discourse.

Director Kodlu Ramakrishna is diligent in his essay; but, the execution lacks finesse. The result: an 'overcooked' narrative, which becomes tiresome and exaggerated towards the end. Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar's dialogues and screenplay are the saving grace. The budgetary constraints are reflected in the film's technical mediocrity. There is nothing memorable either about the background score of Mysore Gopi, set to the lyrics of Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar.

Anant Nag's acting brilliance is on full display in the film. His dialogue delivery, comic timing being an integral part, is impeccable. The supporting cast has veterans Ashwath, Balakrishna, Dinesh, Sundar Raj, and others, who have all put up fine performances too.

As Charlie Chaplin said: “Laugher is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.” This film too is a tonic...just that it is of the satirical kind!

I rate this parody drama: 7.0 on 10!