It has been three decades since director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar started his directorial journey, and the filmmaker has not forgotten his roots. Irrespective of the genres he has handled so far, the veteran has always made sure that his story carries the essence of Indian pride, patriotism and love for the Kannada language and cross-cultural differences, which is blended perfectly with the story.
Along with Nanna Preethiya Hudugi, Paris Pranaya and the evergreen America America, the latest to fall in this bracket is India vs England. For those watching a Nagathihalli film for the first time, the title might be an attraction, which seems to be connected to a cricket match. But the film is more than just a game. The story discusses the history and takes your mind to the British Raj. But all of it comes with a ‘diamond’ twist that makes this Nagathihalli film a romantic thriller.
Nagathihalli’s daughter, Kanasu, has penned the story and has probably kept her father’s passion for travelling and blogging in view, and that is showcased through Kanishka (Vasishta Simha), an NRI whose parents (Sumalatha and Prakash Belawadi) are staunch Kannadigas living in the UK.
Kaniska’s profession as a vlogger connects him to Bagiratha (Anant Nag), a gemologist living in the interiors of Malnad. He asks his granddaughter, Medini (Manvitha Kamath), to help Kanishka explore India. Though both are always at loggerheads initially, and can’t stand each other, travel brings them close together, and there is romance in the air. Medini expresses her wish to marry Kanishka, and both fly back to England, get the consent of the latter’s parents, and are set to tie the knot.
However, just when the D-Day arrives, Medini leaves for India, without even leaving a note. A worried Kanishka comes to India, only to find out the real cause. Here, he is shocked to learn that her grandfather considers him a smuggler. The reason is a ‘precious diamond’, which was stolen at a British museum, and lands at Bhatkal in Karnataka. Will Vasishta try to prove his innocence, and find out who is the real culprit? How this diamond traces the history between India and British is told through the voice of Puneeth Rajkumar, which indeed reveals a few facts about our past.
A lot of homework goes in Nagathihalli’s films, and, through this film, the avid reader brings attention to the lost treasures such as artifacts, antiques and precious stones of Indian origin, the ownership of which is now claimed by the British. All of it makes for an interesting watch for the entire family. But for the cross-culture connect and the diamond in the picture, India vs England becomes a formulaic story of a hero overpowering the villains, and how he struggles to win his girl’s love. It has the director’s signature style of filmmaking, which he has followed right from his first film. Nothing goes overboard. Nagathihalli, who has written the script, highlights the film with simple dialogues, which also becomes a key point. The first half establishes the cultures of the two countries, while it is the second half which comes with more than a couple of twists and turns.
Coming to Vasishta Simha, well, give him a character and he knows how to justify it. In the lead role, the actor, who portrays someone with a modern outlook with traditional values, has tried to bring in variations -- with his look, body language, and emotions. He is loved for his baritone voice, and he has worked to get a British accent here. Overall, it might take a couple of more films for the audience to settle for his newfound avatar. Manvitha Kamath has more to do than just songs, dance, and romance and she brings in the twist. Diamond comes out as a key character in the film, and Anant Nag’s presence is an eye-opener. Sumalatha, as the leader of the Kannada Sangha Community, and Prakash Belavadi as a doctor get prominence.
Some fun is sprinkled through Sadhu Kokila, who works for a don played by Shivamani, and one can see negative traits in his character.Music director Arjun Janya has given a couple of good medleys. The film covers several places across India and England, and one can see a lot of variations in cinematography. The reason: three DOPs -- Will Price, Satya Hegde and AV Krishnakumar have handled the picturisation.
Even with changing times, Nagathihalli Chandrakshekar, the Mestru of Sandalwood, has been consistent in his style of filmmaking and remains faithful to his kind of stories. This will, of course, appeal to viewers who have been following the director’s work, and who like his kind of cinema.