'Ondu Sarala Premakathe' review: Dawdling narrative wrecks a good plot

Simple Suni’s ‘Ondu Sarala Premakathe’ (A simple love story) is about the life of Athishay (Vinay Rajkumar), an aspiring music director. Athishay is in search of a girl whose voice matches his heartbeat’s rhythm. There are two singers in his life, Madhura (Malika Singh) and Anuraga (Swathishta Krishnan). Should he choose the one he loves? Should he choose the one who loves him?

Suni takes two-and-a-half hours to arrive at the answer.

Many films about love triangles have remained classics for their narration, freshness, music and performances. Rehashing popular tropes is a challenge as it demands innovation. But, Suni relies on commercial elements. Sometimes, he defies logic. The narrative has been senselessly dragged, making it a test of the viewers’ patience.

The first half establishes characters and their backgrounds. It gets predictable close to the interval. The plot takes off in the second half, which is occasionally intense.

There are some good moments too. It offers a strong message on the institution of marriage. It explores complex relationships within a family and between a man and a woman. Humour flows naturally, keeping the audience entertained. Certain scenes are evocative and emotive.

Errors in editing are glaring. The lip-sync flaws are particularly distracting. While Vinay Rajkumar’s performance is average, Swathishta Krishnan and Rajesh Nataranga impress.

The director has brilliantly used 19th century poet Kadakol Madiwalappa’s philosophical composition ‘Mookanagabeku Jagadolu...’, but most of the other songs’ lyrics are forgettable. However, Veer Samarth’s music draws attention.

The director lets go of an opportunity of creating another ‘Malaya Marutha’ (1986).