Ranganayaka

Plot: When a TV programme host tries to delve into contestant director Guruprasad’s (Guruprasad) past life, they are in for a big surprise about the history of Kannada films.

Review: Director Guruprasad (Guruprasad) is on a TV programme that claims to put the participant through a trance and delve into their past lives. The host (Mata Koppala), in presence of a psychiatrist (Yograj Bhat), has to navigate a labyrinth of conversation to get the director to listen to him. What happens when Guruprasad starts narrating about his previous life? Who is Ranganayaka? What has it got to do with the history of Kannada film industry? The answers, obviously, lie in the film.

The first half of the film is a Guruprasad show with Jaggesh appearing only for a few few minutes. The first half feels like a real-life interview of director Guruprasad, who has tried to address everything he wants to say. He has an opinion about certain things and has put it up outright without any hesitation. The second half address the several intercuts that has left the audience confused in the first half. Guruprasad’s dialogues pack a punch; he manages to take a dig at almost all the politicians as well as actors in his own style. And Jaggesh, as usual, delivers it with ease.

As expected from both Jaggesh and Guruprasad, the film has plenty of below-the-belt comedy scenes. And the irony is that, the film, that has a fair share of misogynistic content, releasing on International Women’s Day! The sudden jump cuts and extreme close-ups are a bit disturbing to the viewers. The pop culture references are badly placed, Guruprasad breaks the fourth wall at his own whims. The performances take time to settle as most people are trying to connect the dots with what is happening on screen. The film comes together only in the last few minutes. The film tries to address the issues faced by Kannada film industry, malpractices prevalent in the industry, importance of language and more, but unfortunately, it doesn’t hit home.

With director’s personal agendas (rant) taking the major share of the film, it does feel like a lost opportunity. Overall, this is a huge disappointment coming from the pair that gave Matha and Eddelu Manjunatha, both cult classics in their own right. Too many punches, too many double entendres and shoddy camera work have worked against this film.