Kempu Haladi Hasiru

By Susmita Sameera

The title Kempu Haladi Hasiru refers to the red, yellow, and green lights of a traffic signal. While the story is not about traffic rules, the metaphor is central: in every phase of life, one must pause, think, evaluate, and then move forward.

The film introduces us to the lives of supermarket employees Arjun (Srihan Deepak), Bunty (Aravind Bolar), and Suman. Among them, Arjun stands out for his efficiency. He handles customer orders in fluent English and delivers them accurately and on time. As the story progresses, we learn about Arjun’s past: he is the son of a businessman, but his life changed when he and his mother discovered that his father had a second family. Now burdened with debts, Arjun and his mother live a modest life, struggling to manage their daily expenses.

Amid all this, a strange man begins appearing at the supermarket. He wanders around the store and leaves without buying anything. The employees assume it is just old age, but later the same man approaches them at a nearby tea stall. Speaking in a mysterious tone, he claims to have a special task for the three of them—one that could change their lives. Though tempted, they refuse and walk away. However, suspicion grows among the trio, especially when Arjun is repeatedly seen talking to this “magicman” (Vijay Kumar Chindodi). What Arjun is doing behind their backs, the nature of the task, and what they eventually discover form the core thread of the film.

Parallel to this mysterious subplot, Arjun’s romantic life also takes shape. During his delivery rounds, he encounters Saakshi (Divya Suresh), an air hostess whom he first meets when she is drunk and orders home delivery. Their paths keep crossing, sparking the beginnings of a love story. He also meets Dhanya (Shailashree Mulki), an honest traffic police officer, who eventually becomes his friend. Adding to this mix is a gangster subplot and an unexpected murder, resulting in multiple storylines running simultaneously. One has to wait until the climax to see how these threads come together.

In terms of performances and technical aspects such as cinematography and music, the film delivers adequately, though nothing stands out prominently. The story often feels scattered, and while the narrative concludes on a simple note, the underlying message emphasises patience and avoiding hasty conclusions. The film, with its message of patience, also expects patience from the audience—testing the viewer along the way until the climax, offering moments of intrigue, humour, and confusion as it brings everything together.