Minugu Movie Review
(1.5/5) Pack-up!
In Minugu, there is a movie director (in the film) who is willing to do anything for the success of his movie, even to the extent of creating a fake kidnapping case to provide publicity for the movie. But the real director of the movie, A. Jayavanth seems to be diametrically opposite of that character as he gets too many things wrong in the movie and he seems too busy to be bothered by it.
The first problem with the film is the script, which tries to be so many things at once that it ends up being nothing in the end! Sometimes, it’s the story of a film actress and her die-hard fan (loosely inspired by Mast). Then, it suddenly transforms into a whodunit story, only to quash your hopes of watching a decent thriller by the interval before transforming itself into a triangular love story once again. In between all this fun and frolic, there is a godforsaken cycle race in some abandoned countryside where some participants use age old Hero cycles for the race and commentators yell into the mike with shivering excitement as if they are watching the final overs of an Indo-Pak cricket match (yep! again, inspired by Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar).
If the film had stuck with any one of the above tracks, it could have been at least watchable.
Minugu is the story of Aditya (Sunil Rao) who is a huge fan of actress Sanchita (Pooja Gandhi). They also happen to be close college buddies in the past and when they meet again, they almost fall in love. But before that, the cruel hand of suspense track plays its part and then, everything goes haywire both in their lives and in the film’s pace. Sunil Rao loses his sister (played by ‘hottie-turned-homely’ girl Sangeetha Shetty of Moggina Manasu fame) and loses his mind (we understand!). Then, Pooja Gandhi arranges for his treatment and gets back his lost cycle and asks him to win the race; so he goes and wins it!
If you are wondering how the story can run on so many tracks at once, eat this. There is also an irritating comedy track running side by side which has only an informal connection with the film’s story!
The only thing that really shines in Minugu is actress Pooja Gandhi. This may not be her best performance to date, but she comes up with a neat show amidst all the chaos and deserves credit for that. Sunil Rao is good, but he may not be your conventional hero material. Ajith keeps chewing something from the very beginning and keeps a single expression on his face, which tells us he doesn’t like what he is eating.
The surprise package of the film is Sangeetha Shetty. The girl who played tom-boyish college lass in Moggina Manasu plays a nagging, but loving sister of Sunil Rao in this film. She looks good and acts reasonably well in the movie. Akshata is ok.
Minugu doesn’t shine and you can give it a miss.
-Movie Review By Raju Shanbhag
Super review. This one is epic win:
“…..Ajith keeps chewing something from the very beginning and keeps a single expression on his face, which tells us he doesn’t like what he is eating…..”
Is this Ajith same as the one who acted in “Patre Loves Padma”? Need to see this movie next week, if possible..