Film:Ondu Motteya Kathe
Cast: RAj B Shetty, Shailashree Mulki, Usha Bhandary and Prakash Thuminad
Director: Raj B Shetty
Rating: 4.5/5
For many directors, making a humble debut with a simple script could just be autobiographical. Ondu Motteya Kathe seems to be an example, purely on assumption. After all, Raj B Shetty’s film’s theme is about a plain-featured, lean, and bald common man trying to find his soul mate. Having gone to play the lead role as himself, the assumption could be true. But what is significant is that Raj makes a marvel out of simplicity. He touches truth in its purest form, an onscreen rarity. And he leaves the audience in splits with ample nuggets of irony, comic relief and it is this fact that Raj has explored and successfully executed.
This film revolves around 28-year-old Janardhan (Raj B Shetty), a bald Kannada lecturer, who, along with his family, is on the lookout for a bride. After experiencing his personality being looked at as ‘absurd’, what follows is a journey of self discovery, filled with satire, though. Successful exploration of human tendencies is the strength of the film and it is highlighted in simple, but ironical ways. For example, while Janardhan feels humiliated after his marriage proposals get rejected for being bald, he, on his part, is not ready to accept a girl who is fat!
The natural, underplayed performances by every character and perfect adherence to comic timing keeps the movie going. Raj, as the egghead hero, takes away the cake with his excellent performance. Prakash Thuminad in the role of a peon Srinivas presents a class act. Shailashree Mulki, Usha Bhandary and Maim Ramesh, Amrutha Naik, Deepak Rai Panaje, lend perfect support. Soothing music by Mukundan stands out. Another highlight of the film is the song which talks about the ‘Woes of bloody-sorry baldies, who asks for compassion from modern ladies.
Sometimes, simple themes can become successful tales, and Ondu Motteya Kathe is a perfect example of an epic journey though ordinary pathways.