Gaalipata - Film Review

Tickets for Gaalipata were already sold out in multiplexes in Bangalore and in single screen theatres one could hardly expect getting a ticket in the first few days of the film release standing in queues. But finally we managed to get the balcony ticket in black for Rs.150/- paying thrice the original price in Eshwari theatre at Banashankari, Bangalore. Anyway it is a different experience altogether watching most hyped film on the second day of release itself. In the company of Shande, a self-confessed movie buff and Harsha, I was about to see the most expected movie of 2008, Gaalipata.

Few films live up to the hype created. But Gaalipata neither belong to the elite class nor the average. I would rate it above average purely because cinematography and songs filling the void created by unimpressive script.

Picture Courtesy : http://www.chitraloka.com/

Best things first : Hats off to Randy (Rathnavelu) for giving us a visual treat of unknown Karnataka through his brilliant camera work. Frankly speaking, songs, lyrics and screenplay steal the show rather than the plot. Mugilupete as imgined by director Yogaraj Bhat is simply awesome. In depicting Mugilu Pete, he has brilliantly used the peaks of Kodachadri in western ghats and Shivanasamudra waterfalls in Mandya district, cascades of which are called Gaganachukki and Bharachukki. Most of the film is shot in Kodachadri with the climax of the film being in Shivanasamudra. Ganesh has repeated his Mungaru Male style of dialogue delivery which seems blind continuation of Mungaaru Male dialogues but only for some good, humorous one liners. When you have 3 pairs on screen in a single movie it becomes tough task to give equal importance for all the three. Naturally, Yogaraj Bhat has given Ganesh more screen space considering his present status in Kannada industry. But surprisingly new comer Bhavana Rao gets more screen space among the three female leads. But that doesn’t take away anything from Neethu’s mannerisms or Daisy’s silence. But the real surprise package is Diganth nicknamed doodh peda in the film who walks with honors for that innocent role. Ananth Nag is at his usual best but there is nothing special demand from the script from the veteran. Yogaraj Bhat seems to have done in his home work well and gets distinction grades in song picturizations, location selection but fails in the plot he designed much similar to most hyped films in Bollywood, latest to the edition being Om Shanti Om.

The plot : Begins with three friends Ganesh(Ganesh), Diganth(Diganth) and Keerthi(Rajesh) in Bangalore getting fed up with city life and starting their journey towards Mugilupete in search of peace.Kodand Rao(Ananth Nag) lives in Mugilupete with daughters Paavani(Bhavana), Radha(Neethu) and daughter-in-law Sowmya(Daisy), who is a widow. Three contemporary love stories begin though in three different fashions. There is no twist to any of the love stories which cut a sorry figure. In the end all the three pairs start living happily ever after. Yogaraj Bhat seems to have marketed his movie well with beautiful songs and locales but how much he translates it into box office collections remains a big question with a weak plot. Movie runs at slow pace with most of the time being spent in hunting that ever mischievous wild boar. Full marks to the graphics team of the film for creating wild boar on screen as if it was real.

Question which Shande asked me after the film - How is the title Gaalipata(kite) suits the theme?, made me seach for answers. May be, because it is an experiment of a film with no real plot to look for or it might be that kite represents impossible becoming I am possible with no barriers as in the case of three love stories though Ganesh – Sowmya story being a lighter exception. Some intentions of the movie director have been good – like Kodanda Rao seeing Varaha(one of Lord Vishnu’s avataaras)in wild boar to say that animals are not there to fulfill man’s desires or Ganesh who studied in convent trying to learn reading and writing Kannada to impress Sowmya to say that we are forgetting our roots, but only fail to impress. But having said all these, it is surely one-time-watch movie if you forget everything and just enjoy the scenic beauty of Malnad.

To conclude, Indian cricket team’s win at Perth in 3rd test against Australia and thus breaking Aussies 16 match win streak made up for the slight disappointment caused by the much hyped movie!!!

Regards,
Raveesh

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