With Jeevnane Nataka Samy (Life is a drama), director Raju Bhandari Rajavartha has tried to explore the stark realities of reality shows, especially the ones involving children. While kudos to the central idea, the lack of research is unforgivable. The film seems more like a far-fetched idea from an unprepared mind.
The film is about Akash (Kiran Raj), who is working as a film technician in various production houses and is often pressurised by his wife to enroll their talented daughter into a reality show. Although Akash’s daughter wins the hearts of the audiences, she does not make it to the final list of contenders.
The crux of what happens next is whether Akash’s daughter wins the show on merit or will he go out of his way to ensure his daughter wins the show. The director also explores Akash’s struggle and the changes that he goes through following his experiences at the reality show.
On the whole, the execution of Jeevnane Nataka Samy falls flat with no soul in the script. Almost none of the actors add value to the story. Even the much-liked TV serial actor Kiran Raj doesn’t evoke a similar reaction in his feature film appearance.
While there is no doubt that Shree Harsha is a good singer, there is a long way to go if he wants to take up an acting career seriously. The rest of the actors come across as amateurish, and the only set of actors who come off unscathed are the child artistes. Although the director has tried to blend humour into this sensitive subject, it doesn’t work at all.
Overall, it is just sad that the two hours spent on this film, which is so far away from reality, would have been better utilised in watching an actual reality show.
Jeevnane Nataka Samy
Cast: Kiran Raj, Shree Harsha, Pavithra Kotian and Anika Ramya
Director: Raju Bhandari Rajavartha