Body God: This dark comedy is an engaging flick

Srinivas' boldness to lay emphasis on content, casting lesser known artistes than to create a plot for artistes is worth mentioning

Film: Body God

Cast: Guruprasad, Manoj, Deepika Aradhya, Padmaja Rao, Prabhu Srinivas

Director: Prabhu Srinivas

Rating: 3.5

Filmmaker Prabhu Srinivas who drew attention with his Ganapa (2015) and Kariya 2 (2017) is now back with Body God. The flick faced hurdles due to Covid-19 pandemic before hitting the screen. Trailer of the movie had aroused some curiosity.

The idea conceived by the filmmaker to construct the plot for the flick in itself is unique as far as Sandalwood is concerned.

Srinivas' boldness to lay emphasis on content, casting lesser known artistes than to create a plot for artistes, which has been the case with many filmmakers in Sandalwood, is worth mentioning.

He treats an ordinary story in an extraordinary narrative style which makes the flick an engaging outing.

This dark comedy drives home a point: A person can have some worth even after death.

The movie keeps entertaining right from the first scene till its climax. Till the climax the plot never becomes predictable,l thanks to the filmmaker's attention for every minute detail.

Unexpected problems in any middle class family, helplessness of an unemployed youth, touts taking job aspirants for a ride and crises of those borrowing money on interest have all been portrayed convincingly. This of course helps the audience relate themselves to the narrative.

The movie narrates the story of a middle class meritorious, but unemployed young man facing a deep financial crisis. He is forced to repay loans with interest after a tout promises him a job in Dubai and takes him for a ride. His girlfriend, a nurse, helps him in getting a job of taking care of a person suffering from paralysis in the absence of his family members.

The rest of the story is about the familial bond, unexpected challenges he faces after the patient dies and how his innocence turns the tide in his favour.

The director has mixed action, suspense, thriller and humour proportionately. Flashback techniques used to narrate the plot keep the pace equally balanced.

An action sequence evokes laughter, but a chain snatcher getting caught by a corpse defies logic. Background music by Karan B Krupa elevates the mood. Two lyrics draw attention.

Each of the characters have been properly developed. Guruprasad and Manoj take the entire burden on their shoulders and deliver excellent performance. Deepika Aradhya as a Malayali girl is pleasing and so is her Kannada accent.

The flick lacks cinematic experience and resembles an extended teleserial at times, but punching dialogues, turns and twists immediately compensate.

Efforts to keep the narrative crisp and tight need appreciation as the flick concludes in just two hours.

The flick surely lightens up the mood and is worth the price of a ticket.