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A delightful look at human traits

Last Updated 08 October 2016, 19:50 IST

Idolle Ramayana
Kannada (U) Cast: Prakash Rai, Priyamani, Achyut Kumar, Rangayana Raghu, Bhargavi Narayan, Sudha Belawadi, Arun Dhuplikar
Director: Prakash Rai

Actor-director Prakash Rai does an excellent job with Idolle Ramayana, inspired by, and based on the 2012 critically acclaimed Malayalam hit Shutter by Joy Mathew.

Keeping the basic kernel of Mathew’s throbbing plotline, Prakash changes the external canvas, inserting Ramanavami celebrations and Ramayana play preparations as an idyllic setting for Idolle Ramayana.

A traditional yet despotic husband-father Bhujangayya, as a theatre artist, revels in his role as Ravana. A docile wife, a rebellious college-going daughter and matter of fact mother-in-law form his cosy family, while autodriver Shiva, a shopkeeper, and a bunch of theatre mates constitute his friends circle. The film also portrays the lives of Garundagiri Srinivasa Rao, a cantankerous film director, and Bangari, a sex worker.

Everything is blissful with Bhujangayya until, one heady night, he sets eyes on Bangari. High after a drunken binge with bosom buddies, he is hell bent on a nocturnal encounter. How this momentary lapse leads to a life and death situation forms the rest of Idolle Ramayana. The film also tracks film director Srinivasa Rao and Shiva’s own adventures on that fateful night.

With a simple tale, Idolle Ramayana brings to fore many socio-political issues including the working of the cinema industry, its moral fibre much maligned.

The film gets a further boost from maestro Ilayaraja’s inimitable background score. A Dasara treat indeed.

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(Published 08 October 2016, 19:50 IST)

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