Varthamana
Director: Umesh Amshi
Cast: Sanchari Vijay, Sanjana Prakash
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Don’t look for a regular, linear plotline in Umesh Amshi’s film Varthamana, as the debutant director claims that it is simply taken from his experiences of living in Bengaluru. This is in an attempt to follow an Avant-garde style, with the director showing us the stark reality of people’s lives in the city. Ananth (Sanchari Vijay) is living in an illusionary world. It is a life riddled with confusions, from relationships, fortune and life in general. The director has tried to convey this tangle of an experience through visuals, relying on minimal dialogues. Perhaps this is a courageous attempt, but unfortunately, it is quite terribly done.
The storytelling is unfocused and clumsy, and the director’s lack of experience shows through. He has taken three years to tell this complex plot filled with suspense, but what we get is a confused narrative.
Sanchari Vijay carries a hangover from his stage performances and he needs to temper his acting to suit the silver screen. Varthamana has a few senior actors and an unschooled cast, and their presence is hardly noticed.
The film’s music by Sarvanan leaves little to write about, and the cinematographer has managed to bring in different shades with his picturisation.Varthamana tests the audience’s patience. People look for entertainment, but watching this film is more like a task. It is a debut attempt but the experience makes no sense to the viewer, and seems more like an unpleasant dream.