Credit: Special Arrangement
Launch vehicles designed to introduce new faces to the cinematic world often follow tried and tired templates. Debutant Kiran Kumar’s ‘Suthradaari’ is no different.
By blending formulaic elements into a cocktail, the director tries to give audiences a heady high. In doing so, he leaves no stone unturned.
A nuanced and sensible script might have worked wonders. However, the newbie director miserably fails in his enthusiasm to keep audiences invested.
The director is in severe need of a course in gender sensitisation given the pathetic treatment of women characters in the film. The film shows Chandan Shetty’s character Vijay Kumar drooling every time he sees a woman.
The protagonist cop has been sketched in this most despicable way as a skirt chaser to provide the film mirthful moments. This is highly affronting and offensive to say the least. The film’s suggestive lyrics and gyrating song sequences further debase the dignity of women.
A tragic suicide, a series of perplexing kidnaps, followed by equally inexplicable suicides of victims on their release, leads to Vijay’s suspension.
The victims of kidnapping and suicides being strung to rich businessmen who are the perpetrators, forms the pivot of the film. ‘Suthradaari’ aka Mastermind sees Vijay on a wild goose chase before the pieces of puzzle fall together for a proverbial climactic closure. With his close associates thwarting his attempts at solving the case, Vijay flips and fumbles at every step. The director tries to expectantly engage his audience in his maiden foray into filmmaking.
Unfortunately, Kiran Kumar’s crime-mystery thriller lacks any novelty or nuance. Rapper and music director Chandan Shetty’s foray into acting seems miscast, making the film another tedious experience in the theatres.