When one is heinously wrong, law punishes. When one is creatively wrong, the audience does. In many ways, both these aspects seem to have got intertwined in the real-life thriller Bettanagere.
Considering that the film is based on real-life criminal cousins from Nelamangala -- Seena and Shankara, who turned rivals and left a deadly trail of horrendous murders, shaking the peace of North Bengaluru for a decade from 2002 till 2012 -- the film fails to capture the goons’ devil-nurtured characters. Although first-time director B G Mohan Gowda, a relative of the two gangsters, tries to honestly relive the terror, he has gone for a low-key approach. Instead, he could have given brutality a new personality since he had watched terror in his backyard.
The plot that drags into the second half, turns confusing rather than evoking suspense. The lavish action sequences, murders and chase sequences add commercial sense, but does not re-capture the impact of the real-life brutality.
Actors Sumanth Shailendra and Akshay, in an attempt to become mass heroes, have followed the director’s thought to the hilt. Naina plays Sumanth’s love interest, but the role does let her explore her talent much.
Good support by senior actors Avinash, Achyuth Kumar, Shobhraj, Veeena Sundar and Jai Jagadish. Cricketer Vinod Kambli’s presence is not notable.
But what stands out is the camera work by H C Venu, bringing out reality with creative play of light which goes well with the theme. Matching Venu’s picturisation is the background music by Rajesh Ramanathan.
The film may not evoke the same reactions as gangster films like Nayagan, Satya or Sarkar, but it’s undeniably an honest effort by a new director, trying to tell the tale of evil in his family.