BT Rating: (3/5)

Storyge sketcha?

Gulama Movie Review By Raju Shanbhag

In the typical underworld language that has engulfed Prajwal Devaraj’s new film Gulama, one can say that the film has lots of meter, but no real matter. For those folks who haven’t seen much of the revered macchu sanskriti of Kannada films, here is the easier translation. The film has lots of well defined scenes and acting, but contains no new storyline.

The first film in the year 2009 for the Kannada industry, Gulama, carries forward lots of bloody legacies from its preceding years. There are people with long hair, strange accent, and stranger names who play underworld rowdies. There is our Prajwal Devaraj, who, with a machchu in his hand, can put even Virendar Sehwag to shame in deft timing and brutal power, and there are other usual mother son sentiments that make up for the emotional quotient. But amidst a repetitive storyline and a violent bloodbath, debutant director Tushar Ranganath interleaves some memorable scenes that make you desperately wish he had a genuinely good storyteller. Ah, it’s tough to find good directors!

Anil (Prajwal) is a son of policeman (Rangayana Raghu) and Anil has a long hair and short temper. He also has this knack of getting into trouble, routinely beating up rowdies of all sizes and shapes into submission. But he is also the Gulama of a wannabe starlet (Biyanaka Desai) and will do anything for her. There is another girl in the neighborhood (Sonu) who loves him. But there is little time for love as people with longer hairs than Prajwal keep coming in the way of duets. Circumstances force Anil into becoming a don (yawn!) and the rest is the reflection of the history of earlier Kannada films such as Jogi and Om.

But all is not a lost cause here. Director Tushar Ranganath tries bloody well to take this film a touch above the routine underworld fair seen in Kannada cinema off late. His character development is impressive and his handling of many scenes leaves you with lots of hope for the future, machchu or no machchu. Watch out for the scene where Prajwal murders a rowdy in a remote village in an old house. Just when we thought symbolic representation of the story was a forgotten art in Kannada films, Tushar Ranganath makes us believe it’s not the end after all. Tushar also extracts impressive performances from even minor artists who appear in just one or two scenes; another major factor that makes this film watchable in spite of its obsolete storyline.

But one of the biggest drawbacks of the film, along with the story, is Tushar’s confusion while narrating the story in flashback. There is a particular sequence in the second half which leaves you thoroughly confused about the development of the story. Watch out Tushar!

Dialogue is another major attraction in this film. The raw animal nature of underworld miscreants is unveiled in its full glory through rustic, often hilarious dialogues. Gurukiran’s music (including the background score) enhances the effect much more. Also, songs are shot beautifully.

With a machchu in his hand, Prajwal Devaraj looks menacing enough to take on the underworld. He fights well, emotes well and dances well, showing why Kannada filmmakers are investing in this man despite his previous failures. Along with director Tushar Ranganath, Prajwal is the highlight of this film.

After the disastrous Inti Ninna Prethiya, Sonu is back in business. The girl is slimmer, acts well and deservedly hogs much of the limelight in the second half of the film. In comparison, Biyanka Desai is as good or as bad as she was in her last release, Rocky.

Despite its story and “me-too” nature, Gulama is thoroughly watchable because of two things. Debutant Tushar Ranganath’s direction and Prajwal’s acting.