Film: Ring Road Suma
Cast: Kushie, Neethu, Nikitha Thukral , Vijay, Srinagar Kitty, Sanjjanaa, Prem,
Director: Priya Beliappa
Ring Road Suma has taken around three years to hit the screens. Based on a real incident that took place in 2010, when advocate Shubha, now out on bail, killed her fiance on Ring Road. However, the film underwent much hacking at the censor, including a change in title and name of the protagonist. And the film begins with the usual disclaimer that any resemblances to any person living or dead is merely coincidental.
The potential of the plot, the long wait and the fact that it is made by an all-women team might have given off the impression that it’s a film to watch out for, but though the subject has been well-researched by Belliappa, it fails as a psychological thriller.
The film begins with Suma (Kushie) meeting with an accident. Even though people see her lying on road injured, no one comes forward to take her to the hospital.
The story unfolds through Priya (Nethra), a director, who gets hold of a script, scribbled on white sheets and brought to her by her friend (Neethu). That’s when Suma’s past is revealed. A criminal lawyer’s daughter, Suma is at a stage when she is deciding between love and arranged marriage. The feelings of the young girl are explored. Her parents get Suma engaged to Harish, a software engineer, against her wishes. How and why she tries get rid of her fiancé forms the story. While this is the main storyline, there parallel subplot with Khan, who is investigating the murder case of Suma’s fiancé and how that brings about differences with his wife.
The film shows faults with the plot itself. The director, in trying to bring in too many characters and incidents, diminishes the impact of the actual story of what could have been a great psychological thriller. Too many things thrown into this two-hour mix, made a complete mess of the movie by saying too little and attempting to fit in too much. It fails to sustain viewer-interest.
A few actors like Vijay and Nikita Thukral have done well individually. But the leading lady’s performance isn’t too commendable. One look at Kushie’s role in Ring Road Suma, and it’s apparent she has blindly followed the director’s every word. There seems to be no individual thought process in her acting and her expressions thus turn out to be very artificial. Overall too, the emotional quotient of the film seems nil. Actors like Srinagar Kitty, Sanjjanaa and Prem have come forward to support this all women’s team, but their involvement fails to create an impact.
Technically too, there isn’t much to praise; neither the cinematography, nor the musical contribution by Vani Harikrishna can be called memorable. All in all this thriller never pays off.