Film: Pathibeku.com
Director: Rakesh
Cast: Sheetal Shetty, Harini, Krishna Adiga, Aru Gowda
Rating: 2.5/5
Savira sullu heli ondu maduve maadu (Seal a marriage by telling a thousand lies ) is a popular proverb in Kannada, which in a way is the one-line summary of Pathibeku.com. Mirroring middle class values, the film explores the many challenges that a girl and her family faces to find the right groom.
Director Rakesh’s central character Bhagya (Sheetal Shetty) is in her late 20s, and her parents (Harini and Krishna Adiga) are looking for a groom but with no prospects. She is also a con-woman. So, Bhagya herself turns out to be a marriage broker, and becomes a match-maker. With circumstances and pressure, she is also in a search of a groom, when she meets Satya (Arun Gowda), who is looking for a visually-impaired woman as his life partner. Bhagya feels that he is the best match and takes the risk of playing a double role – as a marriage broker as well as a bride who is blind. Does she succeed in revealing the true side of hers and win over Satya makes the crux of Pathibeku.com.
While Rakesh’s story holds a good one-liner, it fails in the directorial department. Having experienced his capabilities with a film like Tarle Nan Maklu, Pathibeku.com comes across as amateurish. A subject, which stresses upon dowry, online matrimony and how even today parents struggle to get their daughters married has enough potential to lift the film,but he struggles to come up with a strong content.
As for the actors, Sheetal, who is appearing in a full-fledged role as a heroine comes with no filters; her body language, dialogue delivery, and in her overall presentation. Aru Gowda’s presence does not make much impact. There is exaggerated screen time for the supporting cast including Harini, Krishna Adiga among others.
Except for one song, there is nothing much to applaud about the film’s music nor its cinematography.
Pathibeku.com is a cinematic experiment which fails to explore the nuances of match-making, and in turn results in an unfaithful trial.