Rama Rama Re

In the age of cookie cutter films which infect the mainstream, this is an incredibly refreshing take. It's extremely rare to see a film such as this even in the oft celebrated realm of Hollywood, too. D. Satya Prakash's debut is nothing short of a masterpiece. It demands the viewer's attention from the get-go, yet it's not full of itself (a flaw a lot of "philosophical" films have). It even falls into the genre of a tragicomedy at times.

It follows the story of 4 titular characters. Sandal Raja, an escaped convict, Ramanna, an old man and Subbi and Dharma, an eloping couple. They cross paths in a desert and along the way, meet a soldier, who is returning to his pregnant wife who is in the 9th term. Their personalities are very present and the performances do their roles justice as none of the characters feel overdone or underdeveloped. They have a lot of soul. The characters are relatively simple when looked at on the surface, but have a tremendous amount of depth to them and are very complex. The film is not a sentimental affair either, as the humor, while it does not significantly contribute to the story, is still wholesome and provides a break from some of the rather intense scenes. The film does not take itself seriously and this works tremendously to it's advantage.

The soundtrack is also simple, but it enriches the story with folk-y instrumentation and songs. There are no filler songs and every song is pretty great. The main theme is extremely emotive. One of the most stellar moments in the film happens to be in a song, as a crew of travelers/gypsies dressed as Krishna, Arjuna and their subsidiaries get into Ramanna's truck and sing a part of the Gita with their own twist.

The nihilism is very palpable, but it cuts much, much deeper than that. It has a lot on it's mind and the way it's explored is simple, but incredibly eloquent. In fact, the beauty is in it's sheer simplicity. But don't let this fool you, the simplicity does not indicate a lack of depth. It alludes to the Gita and The Mahabharata all throughout but is not the least bit preachy. Themes of isolation, redemption, happiness are rife throughout the film. This however, does not alienate anyone as this is not done pretentiously at all. It feels human and genuine and is again, full of soul.

The cinematography is simple too, but is nothing short of excellent. The heat of the desert, the thirst and loneliness that comes along with it can be felt through the screen. It gets symbolic at times and the symbols accentuate the core point of the film (and I'm a sucker for symbols). These are done in an extremely humble and profound manner as well.

It is a celebration of life, a quest for redemption and happiness in this weird, unforgiving, beautiful world. Most importantly, it's about being human.

Best performance, Creative story, Wonderful feelings, a few humorous characters and a best movie that revolves and evolves around the thinking of a criminal and a person who punishes a criminal. A Wonderfully made journey with many characters coming from no where, but giving some good sense of feeling and a learning. As said in the other review, the movie starts with no great expectation, but slowly binds us to seats and involves our senses unknowingly into the movie. As I watched on TV, I didn't even take the break when I watched it for first time, but that was not the end, I watched many times with a better feeling every time I watched this. The BGM is very good and the songs are excellent.

Great to watch such good making in Kannada film industry in recent times. Though it looks a simple movie but the depth of emotions, meaning and narration is excellent. Often these kinds of movies are best ignored due to their unique dimension and non commercial factor. However, time and again it is proved that Kannada audience promotes movie with good content than the musical or out and out commercial flick. The portrayal of each character in its liberal sense have done justice. The journey set out on the move gives new direction throughout the movie becomes intense from the beginning of second half until the end. BGM is excellent as deserved by the movie. The locations chosen are the unexplored places of North Karnataka which adds fragrance to the movie. "Kelu Krishna" song will definitely impress the audience. This movie is set to win awards and accolades and its best deserved. Verdict: A thought provoking move and needs support from the audience to support budding directors to show their mettle. 10 out of 10

This movie is a hidden gem. It is a very simple drama that unfolds over two days, featuring a myriad of rustic characters who grow on you. This movie made me laugh and cry at the same time. It has been conceptualised and executed beautifully.

Do yourself a favour and watch this movie without expecting too much. The initial few scenes and acting may seem amateurish, but you will very quickly put it behind you as the screenplay unravels scene by scene, and very soon, you will be rooting for not only the main protagonists, but also the fringe players. There is not much you can find flaw in the movie. The screenplay and direction is taut, acting is excellent (barring a couple), dialogues are brilliant; humorous and insightful at the same time. Music and BGM fits in beautifully, and so does the cinematography. A huge round of applause to all the new comers who have given us a movie that they loved creating so that we can love watching it!

The highlight of the movie is the "Hey Krishna" don't. I loved the song. A wonderful composition.