Laughing away in fear, fright

Kathe Chitrakathe
Nirdeshana Puttanna
Kannada (U/A) ¬¬¬
Cast: Komal Kumar,
Prashant Siddi
Director: Srinivas Raju

The pasha of cheery, chuckling comedy is back. Yes, Komal Kumar, known for his breezy, rib-tickling comedies, packs a punch, doing what he does best. Despite its long, tongue-twisting title, ‘Kathe Chitrakathe Nirdeshana Puttana’ delivers what it promises with aplomb, with Komal at his crackling best.

An inspired remake of Telugu flick ‘Geethanjali’, director Srinivas Raju ensures the film works both as a laugh-a-minute comedy as also successfully sending shivers down the spine, doubling up as a horror fare.

An aspiring and much-harried filmmaker, Satya, wanting to attain fame like the late Puttana Kanagal, arrives in Bengaluru from Raichur after fighting with his father back home. As usual he makes the proverbial round of producers of Gandhinagar to present, what he believes, is a great script.

And when he is able to convince one who gives the date to hear him out, things go awry. Arriving late for the much- anticipated meeting, Satya is at pains to convince the reason for his delay, instead of reading out his script for which the appointment was made.

According to him, he was delayed because an eerie experience en route to his scheduled engagement. Thereon begins the horror-humour film which both tickles as also taunts you with its ghostly encounters.

The apartment where he lives, along with two others, is inhabited by a spirit with a hoary past, who troubles the trio with her nocturnal visits.

Peopled with comics, the film ensures each of their brand of comedy is served up the platter and the audience have a fun-filled plate as the film spotlights on trials and tribulations of those chasing the celluloid chimera and the wily ways of the industry.

The film should work if one went without expectations and smile away one’s blues to emerge in a happier frame of mind. Yes, it is time pass and ‘paisa vasool’ if Komal & Co kind of comedy is your idea of entertainment at the movies.