Punda

Realism carries the story

It’s night time. Rowdies are out to slay don Bhoja (Sharath)’s enemies, including Yogi (Yogesh) and his family. Yogi, wounded but angry, is searching for Shiva (Petrol Prasanna), Bhoja’s brother. “Punda”, the remake of “Polladhavan”, is a faithful portrayal of a youth’s realisation of his dream, one that is laced with harsh reality. Indeed, this touch of realism is the film’s USP.

Yogi dreams of a cool bike and a hot girl. Things come to a head when Yogi steals his father’s money for a drinking binge and fibs about it. Heated words follow and his humiliated father arranges some cash for his jobless graduate son, which he promptly spends on a bike. He then succeeds in getting a job as well as his dream girl. But his happiness is shortlived, thanks to Shiva.

The director sticks to the original like a leech and sucks out the story well. Which is a good thing too. The dialogues are a plus point, embellishing the bang-on performances by veterans Avinash, Sharath and Venkatesh. Even Yogesh’s childish whining finds a place.

Debutante Meghana adds the necessary oomph in a limited role. Prasanna is an able antagonist, sometimes outshining Yogesh. In the end, “Punda” will definitely endear himself to Yogesh fans.