Hariprasad Jayanna’s Padavi Poorva is nostalgia unedited. It takes the audience to 1995-96 and presents a contrast to the technology-dictated present life.
The film holds a certain charm, especially because it is majorly relatable to a sizeable audience. Padavi Poorva, meaning pre-graduation is set in and around a college. Pipi Naveena (Pruthvi Shamanur), who has just entered PUC, is the blue-eyed boy of the college, for whom friends are a priority.
Enter Nithya (Anjali Anish) for whom Naveena develops a special feeling. While Naveena has his dream for the future as his father wants to see him as a doctor, destiny has other plans. A situation arises when Naveena’s relationship with his friends puts him to the test, even to the extent of sacrificing himself for the sake of rekindling a broken friendship.
Debutant director Hariprasad, an erstwhile associate of Yogaraj Bhat cleverly traces the ups and downs of a PUC student and his friends. He seems to have taken cues from the ace director for his first film. The film, which introduces new talents, is all about the love and friendship of college students, and its impact on their near and dear ones. The film happens at a time when life was not driven by mobile phones or technology. The aura of those days makes the narrative even more elegant.
Hariprasad beautifully highlights the significance of simple aspects in life, by packaging his film with drama, action, and loads of fun. The banters between the teacher and students are a riot. The climax twist by the director, who has penned the story, is a surprise indeed and it will be open to multiple interpretations.
While the screenplay needed to be tighter, the sequences that work and the witty dialogues make the glitch ignorable. Just 19, actor Pruthvi Shamanur in his first outing has handled his character smartly, proving that he has a great future in cinema. Anjali Anish has a charming presence and justifies her role, and so are other actors like Yasha Shivakumar, Rajneesh,Mandara, and Vijay Kiran. The actor, who has played the role of Viji (Vijesh) in the group of friends, is also a great find and is very promising. Sharath Lohitashwa, Rangayana Raghu, and Nataraj of Rama Rama Re fame appear briefly but deliver their bit. At the end of the film, many familiar artists appear in cameo roles and make the film more special.
Santhosh Rai Pataje’s photography makes Padavi Poorva a colourful spectacle, even in dull moments, while Arjun Janya draws attention with his fresh music that gels well along with the college drama. Padavi Poorva gives you a revisit to college life of the mid-nineties and revives the nostalgic moments. If you are in love or the kind who celebrates friendship, you have an extra reason to watch this film, which has light hearted humour delivered by young talents.
Padavi Poorva
Director: Hariprasad Jayanna
Cast: Pruthvi Shamanur, Anjali Anish, Yasha Shivakumar, Vijesh, Rajneesh, Mandara, Sharath Lohitashwa, and Rangayana Raghu
Rating: 3/5