Of dreams and their limits

Gaali
Kannada (U/A)  ¬¬¬
Director: Lucky
Cast: Jeevan, Roopa Nataraj and others

Making the lifetime pilgrimage to Gandhinagar to realise tinsel dreams is currently trending among film makers and film maker-aspirants. After the YouTube-driven success of Simpallag Ond Love Story, they have also “discovered” the benefits of going online with their wares. 

Gaali tries to turn this marketing strategy on its heels – either by choice or compulsion. And fails. The Censor Board has ensured that the drooling “padde hyklus” are a frustrated lot, with all the salacious dialogues blocked mercilessly. But, for those who have an eye for fresh faces promising even a hint of talent, Gaali doesn’t disappoint. Sure, the path director Lucky takes to build his story is spattered with all the mistakes of inexperience. 

But hero Jeevan’s earnest eyes make up for the lapse in dialogue delivery, the peculiar Shankar Nag-ish nasal twang too receding as the film progresses. Roopa Nataraj appears confident in a small role. Other actors support them well. The lyrics of two songs with simple and pleasant tunes, however, are clean. Santosh’s camera struggles with lighting but as the hero says in one of the scenes, it is possible to make a film without all the frills. Over time, Gaali leaves boredom behind and turns cute with its simplicity. 

But Shankar Prakash’s voiceover turns Gaali into a docu-drama, which was wholly unnecessary. Indeed, some of Lucky’s dialogues seem bookish and stilted. The concept of the film is noble, yes, but the climax seems to beggar belief. Or perhaps, that is what today’s youth need – self-belief in realising dreams and knowing when to walk away from stuff. Good effort.