Nograj returns: Funny but a tad too long

Humble Politiciann Nograj

Kannada (Voot)

Director: Saad Khan

Cast: Danish Sait, Prakash Belawadi

Rating: 2.5/5

Humble Politiciaan Nograj (HPN) is good in parts but given its length (10 episodes of 30 minutes each) it gets dull and dragging as the authors run out of words, literally, and the plot loses its relevance and reasoning.

The series takes off from the 2018 film of the same name by the same suspects, Danish Sait as the narcissistic (pay attention to the changing size and shape of his false pouch) and uncouth politician Nograj and Saad Khan the director with a keen sense for slapstick comedy.

In the film, Nograj was a fledgling politician with ambitious plans, but in the series, he has ‘graduated’ into a full-fledged and powerful MLA, who is cunning and calculating in planning a coup to become the chief minister of Karnataka.

Even though he has only a handful of MLAs in his party, he is greedy for power. How he goes about realising his dream and the usual but unscrupulous methods, like resort politics (at Illegalton Resort, does it ring a bell?), kidnappings, video scandals, etc, he adopts is the crunch of the story.

After a couple of episodes, the puns lose its punch and the comic appeal dulls. Some of the wordplay, like spectacles and testicles, petals and patels and culture and vulture, elicits some loud laughs but soon plateaus out.

The series has much in common with the long-running satirical play Mukhya Mantri (and its sequel Mathe Mukhya Mantri, with Mukhya Mantri Chandru as the protagonist) which also deals with politics and political shenanigans, but with ample sophistication and superb sensitivity, the secret of its success and longevity (over 700 performances at the last count).

HPN is a no-holds-barred sitcom that's also loud and outrageous. Sait as Nograj is funnily endearing while Prakash Belawadi as his main political rival KGB (Krishna Gundu Bala) is a revelation in a meaty role.

There are other rib-tickling scenes involving the One Big Party, Most Secular Party and Family Run Party; but no brownie points for getting the references right.

Vijay Chendur, as Nograj’s sidekick Manjunath, steals the show underplaying a quirky character. Disha Madan fits the role of a present day TV news reporter, talking too much but telling too little.

Shalini Narayan, as KGB’s timid wife, puts life into a marginal character with very limited screen time. Watch out for her mute response to some funny, but misogynist, lines; a sharp contrast to her small screen persona of a bubbly and boisterous anchor.

HPN may not be worth a binge watch but it is a good pastime, that is if you have a lot of time to spare.