A promising thriller gone wrong

Namo Bhootatma 2
Kannada (Theatres)
Director: Murali
Cast: Komal, Lekha Chandra, Govinde Gowda, Mimicry Gopi
Rating: 2/5

As ‘Namo Bhootatma 2’ goes all out to expose the flaws of modern-day media, one wonders why it didn’t care as much about cinematography as it did about journalism. Helmed by Murali, this Komal-starrer starts with a gang of hooligans seeking revenge against two journalists who pranked them for a show.

Soon enough, the duo — Arjun (Komal) and his side-kick Garuda (Govinde Gowda) —are packed off to a haunted house with three others, including the female lead Amrutha (Lekha Chandra). The plot follows their adventures as they grapple with a ghostly menace growing by the day. The pitch rises towards the end, leading to startling revelations.

While the broad outline is interesting, the film is incoherent, lengthy and monotonous. The biggest drawback is the director’s presumption that he can play with the plot and the audience according to his whims and fancies. While fantasy is a part of cinema, it masquerades as realism and ruins much of the film.

The bungalow is clearly overused, with about 80 per cent of the film being shot there. A mother and her son speaking two completely different dialects of Kannada is testimony to the film’s many loopholes. Komal is energetic but is unable to rise above his stereotype image. Lekha Chandra and Govinde Gowda impress occasionally. The slapstick comedy sometimes evokes laughter but poor taste brings it down. The film begins with a promising premise but fails for want of a gripping narrative.