A birdsong cut off before the end

Mynaa
Kannada (U)
Director: Nagashekhar
Cast: Chethan, Nithya Menen, Sarath Kumar and others

Senior policemen, like veterans in other fields, have more than their fair share of stories with life’s lessons to pass on, on a muggy or rainy evening. Laced with cop lingo, these stories most often reveal the human side of the ‘killing machines’.

After bringing one such story to life in Sanju Weds Geetha, Nagashekhar mines cop-lore again to come up with a stone, before polishing it into a brilliant gem, Mynaa. A tale of young love triumphing against all odds, Mynaa mercifully leaves the audience dry-eyed but a little disturbed. The director tackles another form of abuse here with more sensitivity.

Manjunath Sanjeev’s dialogues are more realistic. Together with Nagashekhar’s direction, they rob an expectant audience of lilting duets between the good-looking leads, spectacularly shot and fabulously choreographed in eye-catching locations. Indeed, music plays second fiddle to the story here.

Sathya Hegde’s camera conducts a parallel romance in Doodhsagar, Castle Rock, Goa and even Kengeri railway station.

Those who remember campus caper Jhossh a few years ago, will also remember the sprightly girl Rakesh Adiga falls for almost towards the end of the film. Gliding in and out of public consciousness like a nymph, Nithya Menen barely registered her presence among Kannadigas. To make up for lost time, she transforms herself into Mynaa.

What a transformation it is! Sporting a delightful combination of innocence and sensuality, the actress brings out different feelings a small-town girl experiences very well – love, disappointment, delight, fear, resignation and anxiety, to name a few, by dubbing herself for the role. Her eyes and smile are also able allies in charming the audience.

Chethan too seems to be at ease, his wide eyes conveying the emotion more than the mouth. As the faithful lover and husband, Chethan’s Sathya is someone any girl can take home! Sarath Kumar, resembling BNS Reddy more than Tiger Ashok Kumar, delivers another measured performance. Joining him are Tabla Nani (who should avoid the unnecessary drunken slur next time), Ravishankar and Ravivarma. Suman Ranganath in khaki looks way hotter than in hot-pants and bikinis, and gets to deliver some serious punches, too!

More refined but on the same lines as Sanju Weds Geetha, Mynaa is a birdsong that’s cruelly cut short by death.