TO LOVE AND TO LET KNOW

Dale Carnegie, the American motivational writer, said that the man who goes farthest is the one who is willing to do and dare.  That profound thought applies to as mundane, but momentous a pursuit in life as finding love. Unexpressed love indeed becomes unrequited love often. Hence it is vital not only to dare, but also to declare that love. No flippancy there! 

“ಶ್ರಾವಣಿ ಸುಬ್ರಮಣ್ಯ” (‘Shravani Subramanya’) is a 2013 Kannada film that had the cash registers ringing relentlessly. A blockbuster, the romantic comedy garnered plaudits galore and gained an award or two as well. 

Shravani (Amulya) is a naïve, dewy-eyed girl in love. She elopes with Sudeep (Yashas), who, it turns out, is a goon with ulterior motives and nefarious designs. Subramanya (Ganesh), an aspiring singer with dreams of making it big in the music industry, arrives in the nick of time as a knight in shining armour and rescues Shravani from the clutches of Sudeep.

When Shravani returns home though, she incurs the wrath of her father, Kempegowda (Avinash), a strict disciplinarian. Livid with rage, Kempegowda proscribes her from entering the house. Subramanya though lends a helping hand to ostracized Shravani. The two move in as tenants of an old couple, Seetharam (Anant Nag) and Anuradha (Tara).

Soon love blossoms between the two; but, neither gives vent to the romantic feelings for the other. The bottling up of emotions sets the stage neatly for lots of drama interspersed with comic relief; and, some action too.

Written and directed by Manju Swaraj, the flick’s core plot is one that has been beaten to death in the past. Yet, it is Manju’s deft screenplay and sharp dialogues that usher in a breath of fresh air to the film. The packing of the script with inane, gravity-defying action sequences makes a hash of cuteness in the narration. But then, that Pavlovian behavior shows Manju is unsure of his creativity. Besides, the mawkish climax too is a bit of a train-wreck.

V Harikrishna has composed the background music. Some of the tracks are hummable. The camerawork and editing are everyday stuff. Ganesh in the lead role makes an impact. But, Amulya steals the show with her vivacity. She has lent a certain rustic charm to the rendition. Anant Nag, Tara, Avinash, Vinaya Prasad, Sadhu Kokila and Yashas…all do justice to their respective roles, some more stereotypically than others. Arjun Janya appears as himself in a cameo.

In summary, this movie features a romance that is conspicuous with the silence of the couple.

I rate this romantic comedy: 7.0 on 10!