Movie: Baang (Kannada)

Director: Sree Ganesh Parasuram

Cast: Shanvi Srivastava, Raghu Dixit, Saathvika, Ritivik Muralidhar, Natya Ranga, Sunil Gujjar, Jahangir, Nagendra Sha, Jai Jagadeesh, and Sudha Belawadi.

Duration: 124 minutes

Certificate: UA

Rating:  Four out of five

Director Sree Ganesh Parasuram attempts to convey a message to society, especially to lazy and irresponsible youth and also those anti-social elements indulging in illegal activities, about the ill-effects of wayward lifestyle. The movie emphasizes the need for disciplined life. The movie aptly makes it clear how indiscipline and nasty habits have the potential to make life miserable.

Kichcha Sudeep`s voiceover adds value to this movie that has all types of characters such as an absent-minded but affectionate mother, an angry father with three sons who are very poor in studies but sporty and active in other activities.

The movie begins with Kichcha Sudeep`s voiceover. It is about Aarav (Ritivik Muralidhar) who gets an opportunity to roam in the city along with his younger brother Ayush. His elder brother, who provides him a car and an ATM card, remains at home to spend quality time with his lady love while their parents Kamath (Jai Jagadeesh) Suchitra Kamath (Sudha Belawadi) are away.

On the way, Aarav picks two of his friends Bhushan (Natya Ranga) and Sunil (Sunil Gujjar) who reluctantly agree to accompany him. They, while enjoying nightlife at selective pubs and restaurants, accidentally land in the hands of two deadly gangsters Daddy (Raghu Dixit) and Leona (Shanvi Srivastava) who want to capture the bag containing a drug. Why the gangsters are after Aarav, Bhushan and Sunil and how the latter are connected with the bag and how Aarav and his friends manage to get Ayush from the gangsters is what Baang is all about.

As far as the performance of actors is concerned, it is Shanvi Srivastava who walks away with all honours for her performance in action scenes. Though the chase scene where Ritvik Muralidhar, Bhushan, and Sunil get away despite Shanvi and her gang firing several shots, looks funny, she acted well and she looks like a Hollywood star. Ritvik Muralidhar, Bhushan and Sunil Gujjar have acted well. Saathvika who played a key character - Siri - has provided good support. Raghu Dixit dialogues remind audiences of a Karnataka politician who is holding a key position in Siddaramaiah Cabinet. Veteran character actor Nagendra Sha is convincing as a drug peddler.

It is worth watching for those who crave action and suspense movies.