Where women rule the roost

Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu

Kannada (U/A)
Cast: Shwetha Srivatsav, Achyuth Kumar, Sukratha Wagle, Sonu, Kishore, Sharath Lohitashwa, Karunya Ram, Manasa Joshi, B. Jayashree, Rahul Madhav
Director: D Suman Kittur

Seeped in rusticity, Suman Kittur’s latest belongs to the rowdy women of Kiragooru, as goes the film’s tagline. This quintet of raunchy, rackety belles rules the roost in Kiragoor. They brook no nonsense whatsoever, be it from cuckold hubbies or other spineless men that populate this quaint village. Here, the five women, led by Daanamma, keep troublemakers at bay, especially scheming men like Shankarappa who touts himself as gram sevak.

Based on Poornachandra Tejaswi’s short story, Suman Kittur gets a wonderful subject to make delectable cinema. However, Suman, whose previous Edegarike was path-breaking, falters with Tejaswi’s literary subject. In truly transposing Tejaswi’s story, Suman concentrates on earthy humour and lets go of a golden opportunity.

In Kiragoor, she speaks about how a scheming godman, aided by an ever obliging Shankarappa, brings about distrust among amicable villagers. Dividing them on caste, they seek to sustain their own ends. Daanamma and her feisty foursome uncover the evil designs.
While below-the-belt humour, bonhomie and gustiness of the five women evoke guffaws, the film per se fails.