Some dreams are not realised

Bannada Kode
Kannada (U/A)
Director: Krishna Belthangady
Cast: Baby Suhasini, Yathiraj and Rohit Kumar Kateel

The world of Lakshmi, daughter of an alcoholic and a maid, is idyllic — despite the brazen attempts by her father to grab money.

She is wise for her age, hiding every paisa from him. She plays along the streets, inside the house where her mother works and at the school where the boy of the house studies.

One day, she spots a marvel — a large, “colour-colour” umbrella with cute embellishments and a swan handle — enough to make any girl dream of being a princess herself.

Lakshmi’s mind is set upon the umbrella but the shopkeeper warns her: the umbrella can’t be given for free.

A puzzled Lakshmi soon realises that she has money — saved in the piggy bank. She rushes home to get the money when her father learns about it and follows her.

His need is greater than hers after all — liquor cravings ought not to be discouraged, but nurtured right? Soon enough, Lakshmi’s savings are on their way to the liquour shop while the child waits for the father, in vain, to bring home the umbrella as promised.

It is left to her mother to console Lakshmi and together, mother-daughter begin saving again. By now, both know the umbrella, catching every child’s eye in town, costs Rs 1,000.

Soon, a day comes when Lakshmi takes her savings to the shopkeeper and is crushed with disappointment — the piggy bank contains stones and paper pieces instead of money. At the same time, the father falls sick and has to be hospitalised...

Bannada Kode is no Blue Umbrella, thank God! But neither is it well made. Production difficulties apart, the director’s confusion at several places spoils the impact. Neither Vishnuprasad’s camera nor Neville’s music is impressive.

Yathiraj gives serious competition to Inti Ninna Preetiya Srinagara Kitti. International high-jumper Rohit Kumar Kateel is quite out of place in the film. It is left to Baby Suhasini and her innocent expressions to provide relief.

Screenplay should have been revised extensively.