Film: Kanaka
Director: R Chandru
Cast: Duniya Vijay, Manvitha Harish,
Hariprriya, Ravi Shankar
Director R Chandru knows that without the spark of inspiration, the fuel of public expectation cannot be ignited. While Kanaka ignites the passion of Vijay’s fans, the director goes a step ahead and brings in the inspirational element of Dr Rajkumar, widening the public reach.
With heavy dose of action and packing it with punching dialogues, Chandru weaves in the Rajkumar factor in clever but overambitious manner. Offering a total entertainment package, he even manages to bring in family sentiments.
The film is set in two parts. It begins on a promising note with Kanaka (Vijay) looking upon his only friend and family in the city, Rangayana Raghu. He grows up pasting cinema posters, and establishes a bonding with legendary Dr Rajkumar and learns life lessons by watching his films. To make ends meet, he turns an auto driver and his motto is to serve the people. He meets Kanasu (Manvitha Harish), a medical student. When circumstances lead to Kanasu’s life coming in danger, Kanaka becomes her protector. Kanasu develops certain feelings for him which she expresses. Will he reciprocate gets the audience to one part of the story.
The second part sees Kanaka landing in Bankapura to get back to his family, whom he left 20 years ago. Though he gets a warm welcome from his mother and brother, he is considered an inauspicious child by his father, who distances himself. How he becomes successful in winning over his father’s heart and becomes the pillar of his family by protecting them from rivals form a major plot. In parallel runs a love story with Kanaka’s childhood crush Sampige (Hariprriya), who has lost her husband. Whether it is Kanasu or Sampige for Kanaka is something for people to go and watch.
There is an ample presence of Rajkumar in the film, but the execution needed more coherence, which the director can learn in the long run. What starts with an interesting note, loses sheen as the logic breaks midway and gets the audience to a very predictable ending. Chandru goes back to the old school of story narration and filmmaking, which works in parts.
Vijay as Kanaka carries the entire film on his shoulders, which has a grand opening, with neatly executed action and punchy dialogues delivered in style. Manvitha Harish and Hariprriya fill into their respective characters. Supported by a good set of cast, Ravi Shankar seems to be under-utilised, making a cameo appearance. Comedians Sadhu Kokila, Kuri Pratap and Bullet Prakash try to touch upon humour, but their presence does not make much for laughter.
Naveen Sajju has come up with some loud music, and there is something amiss from cinematographer Sathya Hegde. Go without expectations and you will not be disappointed.