Nam Anna Don

Have a heart and save the situation

Kannada (U)
Cast: Ramesh Aravind, Raju Thalikote, Mona Parvaresh, Rajendra Karant, Achyut Kumar
Director: Ramesh Aravind 

Ramesh Aravind brings yet another comedy of errors with Nam Anna Don. A wholesome package of comedy, romance, sentiment and a serious public issue, Nam Anna Don lures the viewer with its simplicity. 

Dr Arjun (Ramesh), a cardiac surgeon is unwittingly drawn into conducting free surgeries on young heart patients, thanks to his irate friend Dr Shivapad (Achyut). But his airhead sister Malini (Mona) is head over heels about Arjun. So much so that she doesn’t mind causing accidents. One such misadventure sees her ‘knocking’ off a gangster, elder brother of dreaded don Muttu Maligimani (Raju). 

Malini brings the gangster to her brother’s clinic, only to find that he is beyond all help. Eager to pass the blame on Arjun, Shivapad gets the gangster ‘admitted’ into Arjun’s hospital. With Maligimani close on his heels. How Arjun extricates himself from the hopeless situation while also saving the lives of countless tiny hearts is what Nam Anna Don is all about.

Ramesh, the director, is in full form here. There is never a dull moment and the comedy doesn’t go overboard. His dialogues with DBC Shekhar, specially those of Raju Thalikote are hilarious. It is the screenplay that falters a bit, but the pace masks the shortcomings. 

Ramesh, the star, looks sauve, calm and self-assured. Keeping him good company is newbie Mona Parvaresh, displaying just the requisite amount of airheadedness while showing her ease with a foreign language. Sanatani, Umesh and others have precious little to do. It is Raju, as the fire-breathing, epithet-chewing, brash Don who steals the show. Rajendra Karant’s ‘body act’ brings to mind Satish Shah’s turn in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, though not anywhere close to the latter. 

Nam Anna Don remains a special effort.