Gurudev Hoysala Review: Dhananjayas Film Is A Gripping Drama That Rises Above Cliches

On the surface , Gurudev Hoysala is a thriller that flatters the lead. The opening moments of the film show a group of people trying to desecrate the Sangoli Ryan statue for petty reasons, but when Gurudev enters the city, they know little of the fact that crime is the wrong profession. Unsurprisingly, Supercop arrives on the scene on a horse of fame, sporting Raybans and channeling his inner Sangoli Rayana. This is the best opening scene, and as per tradition, there is a slow-motion sequence where the footage explodes for effect. Such a scene always disturbs the first moments, and one begins to fear that perhaps the entire film will play on this tone. But luckily, after a few scenes, I was proven wrong.

Vijay N. Gurudeva's Hoysala may be a parody of many of our favorite crime movies over the years, but the next 2.5 hours (approximately) slowly show that there's so much more to it. This is a film that successfully taps into old archetypes and patterns, but with more conviction and emotion. Considering that nine out of ten Kannada movies have these qualities lately, you won't mind seeing a well-crafted paraphrase. And as a consolation, thanks to our patronage, the movie will always be entertaining.

We know from the beginning that Gurudev is the man of the day and the cop for all occasions. But there is a problem with being a good player, and that is the problem of transfers. His wife Ganga (Amruta Iyengar), his yin yang, is a Bharatanatyam teacher who God knows will take Gurudev's work to new heights. This time he was sent to Athani, a town in the Belagawi region, where he was Mia, an undercover policewoman investigating the sand mafia. No mafia in the world is without its problems, and it is this mafia that creates trouble: ringleader Dada (Avinash BS), his son Nana (Pratap Narayan) and their most loyal Lolly and mastermind of violence, Bali. Simple names, but equally complex personalities.

Bali is not a family tree, and the author uses the metaphor of a dog to describe a dog's character: in a scene in the second half, Dada tells Bali, "So far they have raised faithful dogs, but between them I ". I'm the only killer." keyword. But that's why Bali is the funniest and most entertaining of the trio (maybe the whole cast) and the amazing Vijay N (Writer-Director) gets it. Actor Naveen Shankar who plays this role It's also a vision. The episodes with Bali and Gurudev are very interesting because the villain is a man for a change.

But it turned out that the main thing in the film is completely different. All this sand mob, as we understand it, isn't nearly as important as Dada's other business: expansion and the "purity" that comes with it. Dada is a proud "upper" caste and is willing to do anything to protect the integrity of the crown hierarchy, but it all falls apart when his daughter Bhumi falls for him and she ends up with a lower caste boy. . . A few scenes earlier, a young couple, posing as orphans, sought Gurudev's help to get married. So when the truth comes out, the super cop is in trouble.

This struck me as an interesting departure from the usual setup of a person vs. touch setup. Sure, the idea of ​​taking on the old social hierarchy is incredibly terrifying, but when he encounters these unseen forms of evil, the movie's hero becomes more human and like-minded. Actor Dhananjaya also avoids silly poses and instead has a good understanding of his character's tone and the situations around him while finding ways to ward off the bad guys. Similarly, when it comes to a couple, it makes the story more layered, and it's rare to find a mainstream movie that goes down that path.

Does this mean that Gurudev Hoysala is almost perfect? Not at all Combining a mystical case, the idea of ​​justice, common heroes and villains and more, Vijay N loses control and comes out a bit bewildered. The confusion stems from the fact that most of the time it comes to us out of nowhere, and half the time it doesn't make sense. Yes, there's something captivating about these scenes, but they don't handle sudden changes in tone intelligently.

Sometimes it's the overwhelming desire to keep the hero at the forefront of the action, and sometimes the lack of writing makes solving the deeper problem a bit clunky and boring. In the last moments of the film, Gurudev talks about the role of the police in society and how it is a thankless job that one can do with one's hands and that the film could have been useful without it.

As a big screen experience, Gurudev Hoysala boasts many interesting and amazing moments that are worth going to the movies for. The music, cinematography, and editing could be better and more constructive, but the focused story is good enough. In terms of acting, the movie gives more than one character a great platform to thrive on, but a better script would bring more characters to life. Online, fans are raving about the movie and hoping to see a decent Kannada movie in theaters with great tickets. As long as you don't set expectations too high, weaknesses can be overlooked.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone connected with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any business dealings with the film's producers or other members of the cast or crew.

Read Dasara's review: This Nani film is a politics of violence and disorder.