'Nodidavaru Enantare' movie review: An underwhelming road film

Kuldeep Cariappa’s ‘Nodidavaru Enantare’ is a road film about Siddharth (Naveen Shankar), a frustrated young web designer who embarks on a journey to find himself after the death of his father.

Kuldeep weaves an interesting plot introducing characters who try to add meaning to Siddharth’s life. It is clear he has mommy issues — his mother left him as a baby. But the audience has to bear with his woman-bashing attitude for the entire movie, to only be met with a lukewarm five-minute resolution towards the end. This is irksome, as the much-hyped topic feels outdated, something that has been discussed in mainstream cinema 10 years ago. 

What bothered me was a framed news article in his mother’s office about her struggles after she left home. She is a bestselling author with a prominent public life. Has Siddharth, who was on a quest to confront his mother and is then moved by her story, not made an attempt to read about her? If a 28-year-old continues to hold such strong feelings against women because his mother left him as a child, I don’t believe this mentality and behaviour are to be glorified. 

However, there is some saving grace. Siddharth’s time spent with a shepherd boy adds warmth to the narrative. Apoorva Bharadwaj, who plays a psychologist is brilliant but her character hardly adds anything to the story. Padmavati Rao as the mother comes as a sweet surprise. Naveen is convincing. The film’s cinematography showing the sweeping landscapes of Karnataka is captivating.