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Kannada (A) ¬¬
Director: V Anand
Cast: Prithvi, Surya, Shashi, Vathapi, Niharika Mallya and Lakshman
Four youths flee the police station and begin targeting MLA-businessman-educationist KK. They chop, slice and stab people like they were garden-fresh, succulent vegetables. The MLA and police are after them while they go on about their business with impunity. A few near-brushes with death bring in flashbacks to tell the audience why they are the way they are now. Soon, the back and now technique begins irritating the eyes.
Poor recording or theatre acoustics rob crucial moments from being conveyed well to the viewer.
Yet, the fire in the debutants’ eyes carries them through. Their self-conscious awkwardness doesn't go overboard except for a bit of hamming here and there by Surya. Prithvi, Surya and Niharika stand out while veteran Lakshman brings out some of the old-time menace of a villain.
Dosti very subtly “highlights” the evils of the education system that has been completely commercialised, but only just.
Music by Nagendra Kumar seems heavy while the song picturisation shows fine taste, bogged down by limited resources and sound issues. That the film is very long is its main drawback. For, the “chemistry” between the actors reduces the need for prolonging scenes establishing their camaraderie. S K Rao’s skill with the camera is evident but bad or inappropriate lighting ruins many moments which could have turned special.
Still, the director should not have “gone for the kill,” glorifying violence so much. After a long bloodbath, the viewer is clearly ill-treated when for the last 10 minutes of the film he/she is subjected to a dose of supernatural revenge and speeches. The director should know some dostis wouldn’t survive this treatment!