It is the third film Auditor Srinivas is producing. His other films were Ardhangi and Tharangini. These films neither fetched him awards nor succeeded to keep the cash registers ringing at the box office a few years ago. Srinivas makes one more attempt at producing with the film Bete. The film is loaded with hot action and spiced with ingredients necessary in a masala movie.
As a director, it is the second film for Srinivas Kaushik. Earlier, he handled megaphone for the film Tharangini. It is unfortunate that director Kaushik and producer Srinivas fail to realise the importance of script and screenplay. If they think that Ishitha Vyas, a model from Mumbai, indulges in skin show wearing two-piece garments at the drop of a hat in song sequences will bring in the audience, the producer and the director once again err in judging the pulse of the audience. The song sequences and item numbers bear no connection to the script.
Worse, Auditor Srinivas plays the character of a villain. He appears on the silver screen in a new getup a wig to cover his bald head and sporting a french beard to frighten the heroine. Unfortunately, Srinivas did not realise caressing the waist of Mangalore belle Alisha in the song sequence Ondu Saari Baaro Mooru Saari Maaro cannot be done with finnese in a french bead. Luckily, the director introduces two more artistes Harish Raj and Aadi Lokeshin that song sequence to give some support to Srinivas.
It makes for a bad visual to always see Srinivas accompanied by either Alisha or a group of young and energetic women body guards onscreen. He might have got this idea from late Mohammed Gadafi, who was also known to have female body guards.
The story of Bete is about Ashwini Chengappa (Ayesha), a journalist, who goes on exposing one racket after the other. Ashwini’s father (Ananth Nag) is a doctor and sister Kavitha (Ishitha Vyas) is a TV journalist who considers print media obsolete. While Ashwini is busy exposing drug mafia, circumstances compel Kavitha, who is in love with Sagar (Akshay), to commit suicide. While Ashwini’s father asks her to probe the issue, Akshay’s mother (Pavithra Lokesh) advises her not to go ahead.
Do you think Ashwini obliges Akshay’s mother? Nah. She continues her investigation to identify the culprits. Will she succeed in her mission? You have to see it on the silver screen to know whether she succeeds or not.
Ayesha has put in a decent performance. Her performance in stunt sequences will be a treat for front-benchers. Ananth Nag’s talent has been wasted while Pavithra Lokesh has nothing to do except appear in three scenes. Harish Raj and Adi Lokesh have provided good support.
It is Ishitha Vyas, who walks away with all honours. It is worth watching if you want to see Srinivas in a new avatar and Ayesha in the role of a journalist.