Squishing on brother, sister sentiments

Simhadri
Kannada (U/A) **
Director: Shivamani
Cast: Vijay, Soundarya Jayamala, Ramesh Bhat, Suchendra Prasad, Bhavyashri Rai, Padmavasanthi, Kote Prabhakara, Aishwaraya

Soaking in sister sentiment, squeezing every ounce of its emotional quotient, Simhadri ensures audiences shed copious tears. 

Sadly, they don’t turn teary-eyed at the emotive brother-sister bond Simhadri and Nandini express for one another but at the coarse comedy and depraved dialogues in the bellicose battle Simhadri wages against milk cooperative baddie Pratap Gowda.

Not worth its entertainment weight or novelty in its narrative, the Shivamani scripted Simhadri is an exasperating excuse to milch on Vijay’s beefy build to vent his spleen and belt those speaking ill of his sister or intend harm.

 She is the life and soul of this brawny herdsman who roars and rages like a roused lion and who turns as soft as a kitten at a word from her. How the siblings’ lives traverse through turmoil and tribulations before peace reigns forms the core of Simhadri. Vijay is all fire and brimstone. 

Soundarya oozes oomph as his shrewish sweet-heart. Meghana Sundar Raj plays the sister to perfection. 

It’s best to leave this sermonising, bucolic bumpkin’s vapid play to Vijay and his cheer leaders.