S Shyam Prasad
Film: Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage
Director: Sridhar Shikaripura
Cast: Naveen Shankar, Aishani Shetty, Yash Shetty, Bala Rajwadi, Nitheseh Mahaan, Omkar Aryaa, Siddu Moolimani,
Duration: 149 minutes
Certificate: U/A
Platform: Theatres
Of the nearly 200 films that have been released in Kannada this year, very few have managed to stand apart from the crowd. Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage is one of those very few films which is not only distinct but is also a very well-crafted one. Its hyperlink narrative is intelligible, smooth-flowing, pacy and entertaining despite dozens of characters in multiple storylines.
For the entire first half, interesting characters and curious incidents pile up one after the other. You are kept guessing what the link between each of them could be. At the interval, the story cleverly links them all together. The second half becomes curiouser as more surprises tumble out.
The film starts with a boxer and his drug-addict girlfriend who has a troubled family life. Then there is a self-important man trying to desist his lovelorn friend from committing suicide. A mechanic is waiting to unite with his estranged parents. A wannabe drug-dealer on a big mission has to contend with a hyperactive assistant. A gang lord needs immediate medical help and his henchmen are ready to go to any lengths to get him what he needs. Somewhere else, a father is about to commit the ultimate sin. The narrative shuffles between these stories without initially giving a hint of where it is headed. But each story has an interesting history which keeps you engaged. There are also dozens of other interesting characters that pepper the stories.
The speciality of this film is that every character is the protagonist from his/her viewpoint. When you look at the story from any one character, every other character in the film plays a supportive role to it. The real point of view is that of the audience who are watching the unfolding of an extraordinary day in the lives of some ordinary folks. This makes the film likeable and adorable.
The screenplay wins the gold medal in this film. It is not easy scattering away the scenes so wildly and then slickly rearranging them back in the pack in order. By giving every character the screen time and depth of profile they deserve, DMM becomes an invaluable lesson in characterisation. It would have been easy to place a few non-professional actors among the crowded cast, but special care is taken not to do so. So even characters that appear for mere seconds look and act the part.
This is a film where all the aspects of a film have found its right place. It hardly needs a dissection of explaining that different technical jobs have been done well. It is the film as a whole that has succeeded here. Director Sridhar Shikaripura has struck all the right notes with this debut and is a talent to look forward to.
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