Is this Kannada film’s acche din’s ‘aagamana’? (The Gangs of Mangaluru): My Quick take on Raj Shetty’s “Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana’
Rarely do you come across an 'arty' film that is jam-packed with material that any commercial potboiler would love to have in its portfolio? This Kannada film is receiving positive feedback from critics and the general public. Let me confess that, more than the film, I was blown away by Raj Shetty's (writer/director) interviews on various YouTube channels; this is a 'cerebral' product that will appeal to a wide range of people. I appreciated the thought process that went into the detailing of each frame, scene, BGM, and character development.
The plotline is somewhat similar to what we have already watched in movies like Goonday, wherein two thick pals (Shiva and Hari) who are partners in many crimes, eventually fall apart and the person who drives the wedge in between is a cop (it was Priyanka Chopra in Goonday). Though the plotline is similar, the way each character is written and portrayed on screen is incredible (hats off to writer/director Raj Shetty, never imagined this “motte (egg) head” will be such a talent -pun intended). The character of Shiva, Hari, and Bramhaiyya (cop) have been given attributes of the trinity, and the actors who play these characters have given it all in their respective performances. It could be the pent-up rage in the eyes of Shiva who can’t take any nonsense done to any of his close ones, or it could be a more ‘practical’ approach towards life and his getting attracted towards wealth and good living (Laxmi) as showcased by Hari or it could be ‘creation of chaos/rift’ to bring normalcy to the town by Bramhaiyya, each one of them has given a top-notch performance.
Apart from the plot & performances, I was impressed with the way each scene was conceived and shot. There are many wide shots in the movie, so aesthetically framed, plus Anirudh’s BGM adds magic to the movie. Technically it is a brilliant product. There are some scenes where it starts with a long shot and the camera slowly pans and zooms into the tight close shot, these are so nicely done it literally makes the audience feel that they are moving and walking towards the scene. (Take a bow cinematographer). Impressive opening credits can be compared with any of the Bond movies, which encapsulated the entire plot graphically.
Since the movie is based on Gangster’s story, it would have easily become a Kannada Gangs of Wasseypur. Let me commend Raj Shetty for avoiding and breaking the so-called conventions of packing the gangster movie with profanity, skin show, item songs, he has even avoided a female lead in the movie.
Too many long shots would have made the movie-length vee bit long, which in my view could have been tightly edited. Hence the makers had to keep the first half of the plot just to “set up” the plot and then in the next half went into a hurried-up action mode.
I however thoroughly enjoyed the movie; I feel it can be watched over and over again just to relish the hidden nuances. If KGF woke up an Indian audience to Kannada movies, then Garuda Gamana is definitely going to be clarions call of Kannada movies acche din’s “aagamana”
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