Kannada’s first screen-based film is middling

Made in China

Kannada (Theatres)

Director: Preetham Tegginamane

Cast: Nagabhushana N S, Priyanka Thimmesh, Ravi Bhat

2/5

Cinematographer-turned-director Preetham Tegginamane has drawn inspiration from Hollywood film ‘Searching’ and the Malayalam film ‘C U Soon’ for Sandalwood’s maiden attempt of virtual format filmmaking for his ‘Made in China’. The technique is entirely screen-based where digital communication is used to narrate the story.

Tegginamane first planned this as a short film on life during Covid-19 induced lockdown. However, seeing more potential in the format, he transformed into a full-fledged feature film for an OTT platform. Eventually, the film has made it to theatres.

The movie is about a young entrepreneur’s (Nagabhushana) desperate attempts in Wuhan, China, to join his family back in India when the pandemic sets in. He makes all efforts to get back to his wife (Priyanka Thimmesh), who is expecting their first baby. Some situation lands him in trouble as officials quarantine him for being a primary contact.

Cancellation of flights, being cut off from the world, desire to be with his wife and news of deaths on news feeds causes him mental stress. However, he is united by technology and converses with his family regularly. He slips into depression and ends up committing something silly. Watch the film to know if he recovers from the precarious situation or not.

The first half is a tad slow while the pace is brisk in the second half. Some scenes are forced into the narrative. At times, it resembles a soap opera on television. Videographing the birth of a child inside an operation theatre isn’t executed well.

Despite constraints, the film partially manages to entertain. This is a bold attempt by the director, but the film fails to offer a cinematic experience.