TANGO OF ROMANTIC DRAMA WITH MURDER MYSTERY

 “The greatest rules of dramatic writing…,” it has been said, “…are conflict, conflict, conflict.” Copy that! When the conflict is infused with the suspense and mystery of murder, the drama is high and intense.

“ಒಲವು ಗೆಲುವು” (‘Olavu Geluvu’, which means: ‘Fondness Victory’) is a 1977 Kannada film which has conflict in romance wrapped in a murder mystery. Audiences gave the movie the seal of approval, in large measure due its mesmerizing music. The popular film was a money-spinner.

Mohan (Dr. Rajkumar) is a strict English professor in a college. One of his students, Rohini (Lakshmi) develops a crush on him. Typical tomfoolery follows. Soon the attraction leads to seduction, which turns into mutual affection and courtship. Rohini’s father, Ramaswamy (Upasane Seetharam), an industrialist, gives his consent for the betrothal too.

The romance though is short lived, for Mohan’s familial problems scuttle the relationship. The story of his tryst with love turns into an endeavor to unravel a murder mystery.

At the end of it all, do Mohan and Rohini get to reunite?

That is the rest of the spiel.

Director Bhargava had his work cut out with a plot full of twists. He has kept the narration fast-paced despite the transition from a romantic drama into a “killer-chiller-thriller”. The baton passes seamlessly in the drama from courtship to criminal conspiracy. Sundar and Chi. Udaya Shankar’s screenplay builds the suspense to a crescendo.

Maestro GK Venkatesh’s music is a winner; it has the distinct quality of rough-edged soft-rock and features dominantly the twang of base guitars. The editing and cinematography are garden-variety stuff though.

Dr. Rajkumar, the demigod of Kannada cinema, dazzles in the lead role. The female lead, Lakshmi looks prim and pretty; the onscreen chemistry is dynamite. The screen pairing rocks; it got moviegoers by the hordes. Thoogudeepa Srinivas, Seetharam, Balakrishna, Prabhakar and others are in support

I rate this drama featuring a large slice of romance and a dash of murder mystery: 7.0 on 10!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE ETERNAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE ALIEN AND THE INDIGENOUS

Image
“ We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors— we borrow it from our children ”, despite its triteness, is a poignant and profound expression that all of mankind must remember. The attritional interplay between economic development and environmental protection serves as a canvas for “ ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಜೀವ” " ( Bettada Jeeva – Life of the Hill), a Nati onal Award-winning Kannada film. The movie– set in 1942 when the independence movement was at its zenith– is based on Jnanpith Awardee, Dr. Shivaram Karanth's novel by the same name. The plot revolves around the protagonist, Shivaramu, a young freedom fighter on the run, who is lost in the hilly terrain and dense jungle of the Western ghats. Strangers lead Shivaramu to Kelabailu, a small hamlet where he takes refuge in the house of an old man, Gopalaiah. Overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality of his hosts and in deference to their insistence, Shivaramu extends his stay at Kelabailu– an outpost of civilisation untouched by ...
Read more

PEOPLE, NOT POWER, CORRUPT THE SYSTEM

Image
It has been said that ' behind every great fortune is a great crime .' Indeed, fortune is undeniably the frequent causa causans for crime. " ಅಂತ " (' Anta ', which translates to ' End ') is a 1981 Kannada film, which delves into the murky world of the corrupt and the criminal. Based on HK Anantha Rao's story, it was remade in Tamil (' Thyagi '), Telugu (' Atham Kadidi Aarambam ') and Hindi (' Meri Aawaz Suno '). This landmark action thriller was hugely successful at the box-office. Sushil Kumar (Ambareesh), an upright, diligent police inspector, is living happily with his pregnant wife, Sunitha (Lakshmi) and his mother (Pandari Bai). It is happenstance that he bears an uncanny resemblance to Kanwar Lal (also Ambareesh), a dreaded, notorious gangster serving a life term in prison for murder. So, the police hatch a plot to plant Sushil in Kanwar's place if only to penetrate and bust the latter's gang of smugglers,...
Read more

THE THRILL OF THE PERFECT HEIST

Image
“He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it,” observed the Roman philosopher Seneca. That perhaps is the raison dꞋetre for the eternal cat-and-mouse game between cop and criminal. “ ನವಗ್ರಹ ” (‘ Navagraha’, which translates to ‘ Nine Planets ’) is a 2008 Kannada film, which over the years has attained the status of a cult classic. Heavily inspired by Reservoir Dogs, this heist movie was a runaway success at the box-office. The film revolves around Jaggu (Darshan), a dacoit with a history of high-profile thefts. An international antique collector engages Jaggu to steal the golden howdah― the main attraction showcased during the Dasara festivities― from the Mysore palace. Jaggu accepts the brief and soon embarks on his mission. He assembles a team of fellow henchmen and hatches a foolproof, audacious plan. The gang of seven men and two women, diverse in skill and savvy, collaborates to pull off the caper. An astute, discerning police officer, ACP Bhagat (Sourav) ...
Read more