Odeya

Odeya is a faithful remake of the 2014 Ajith-starrer Veeram. The makers have remained true to the essence of the original with slight alterations to suit Darshan’s image and the expectations his fans have of him. The film is the typical mass entertainer, while loads of action, comedy, romance and melodrama. One ends up wondering though, whether the story is being brought alive on Kannada screens a few years too late.

What works for Odeya is that the fans get to see their star in all his grandeur. Darshan gets to sing, dance, romance and fight to their hearts’ content. Along with that, Darshan’s comic timing too is a treat. Devaraj, as the non-violence preaching landlord is another highlight. His scenes with Darshan are especially worth mentioning. And the love story is cutesy and has some laughs.

What ends up being the Achilles heel for the narrative is the extended romantic track. A lot of those scenes could have easily been done away with. The funny lines written seem archaic and forced, quite often. While youngster Sanah Thimmayyah has the height to match Darshan’s, she doesn’t hold her own in important emotional scenes. The four brothers are also reduced to fillers in romantic scenes in the second half, which could have been improvised in the remake.

At a time when most superstars are being seen in dramas that go beyond the usual commercial potboilers in other industries, this one seems a tad outdated. Albeit, knowing Darshan and his fan base, the story does have the content that fans need for a three-hour whistle fest at the cinema halls. Odeya might not be anything novel or out-of-the-box as far as its packaging goes, but if you’re a Darshan fan and enjoy formulaic commercial family dramas, the film will appeal to your sensibilities.