Romeo

Kannada (U/A)
Cast: Ganesh, Bhavana, Rangayana Raghu and others
Director: P C Sekhar

Quick love, unpredictable developments, ghost of a fight, a freshly situated, beautifully choreographed song, cringe-worthy dialogues, believable acting, a healthy pace, good eye for details, fine art design and appropriate costumes, topped by energetic music... Romeo is quite an entertainer.

Ganesh carries his role with elan, enjoying every banter with Sadhu Kokila, snarling at Raghu and Sudha and punching his way out of trouble. Silent but strong Bhavana keeps him company, only to be restricted in the guise of ‘carrying the story forward’. The Golden Star is good in the court scene while she gets her due close to the climax.

Rangayana Raghu gets more screen time than Sudha Belawadi and uses it as best as only he can. Sudha takes to her role like fish to water. Giri, Mitra and others do not ridicule themselves - the director is well in control of his screenplay. Vaidi lovingly captures the different hues out to grab eyeballs. Arjun again has a ball with songs like By2... and Aalochane...  

Overall, a satisfying effort, but a bit of dismay refuses to go away. Should reciting a lie a hundred times “always” make that lie the gospel truth? The “ardour” of Romeo easily washes away one of the fast-dissolving foundations of love - trust. Moral Science has never been popular. Has it?