Gantumoote

Plot: Set in the 90s, this film follows the life of Meera, a high school teenager and her first tryst with love and the story that ensues.

Review: In Kannada films, it is not too often that a story is narrated from a heroine's perspective. And on the few occasions that it is, it still is diluted to suit to the commercial sensibilities of the 'mass' audiences. Gantumoote, by Roopa Rao, is a rare piece of work in Sandalwood that gives a refreshing narrative to a female protagonist.
This film is set in the 90s, in middle class Bengaluru, with a high school romance as the backdrop. Meera is an innocent girl, who is also the class topper. Watching Salman Khan in Hum Aapke Hain Koun makes her yearn for a boy like him. She notices Madhu in her classroom, a playful boy who she finds similar to Salman. But, this is not the candyfloss romance shown in the commercial films. Instead, it is a bittersweet coming-of-age tale.
Director Roopa Rao's tale has a few sensual undertones, but these are all sensitively handled and that is what impresses the most. The music adds to the narrative. Performances by Teju Belawadi and Nischith Korodi are on point and both of them impress.
Often, film aficionados talk about the high emotional quotient in films being made in Malayalam and Marathi cinema and complain about the lack of the same in Kannada. Here's an answer from the Kannada film industry. For those who like their masala fare, this might be a tad slow. But, if you're a 90s child, then this film will surely evoke some nostalgia and leave you thinking long after you've left the cinema hall.