Kavaludaari - Kannada cinema's very own neo noir thriller !

ASHOK’s FIVE reasons to watch “Kavaludaari”, the maiden venture of Puneeth Rajkumar productions streaming on Amazon Prime. Director Hemanth Rao weaves his magic once again after the success of Godi Banna Sadharanu Mykattu (GBSM) which won the Film fare award in the best film category for 2016. I have been an ardent admirer of the silent revolution happening in the Kannada film industry, which has always been the little brother to Tamil and Telugu and Kavaludaari doesn’t disappoint. Starring Anant Nag and Rishi, the story is an investigation into a forty-year-old crime carried out by a traffic cop who has a motive to solve the mystery. Literally meaning “At the cross-roads”, Kavaludaari is a realistic crime thriller that stands out for fantastic acting, interesting cinematography and a class of film-making which is unusual.

1.       Kavaludaari belongs to the category of what is called the Neo Noir film – made popular in 1950s Hollywood crime drama. You could sit through this film and wonder what is special, but the realistic feel coupled with unusually tilted camera angles, light and shade effects, quirky framing and a lot of grey is what stands out. The cinematography by Advaith Gurumurthy stands out. You will also notice the pronounced visual story-telling right from the opening scene where the protagonist is juxtaposed with flashback scenes from forty years ago and he watches the characters go about their business as normal. The focus on the household artifacts, other props, subtle humour in moments of tension are all a signature style. There is one episode with a housefly in the car that stands out for special mention.

2.       Watch Kavaludaari for the lead pair of veteran Anant Nag and Manish Rishi. Nag carries on from where he left off in GBSM with an albeit disheveled look, but Rishi is a revelation as he carries the film on his shoulders. His performance is controlled, enthusiastic and most important his character evolves out of a tenuous commitment to solving the case to a fierce resolve to make sure the investigation succeeds.

3.       The film is a novel experience characterized by a slow and gentle pace and it is actually the gradual unfolding of the thrill that keeps you engaged. This is not the kind of film where the thrill builds up to a crescendo and culminates in a hyper action sequence with violence and drama.

4.       Some of the scenes of Bangalore remind you of the erstwhile garden city and make you nostalgic. This complements the unhurried pace with which the movie has been shot. Charan Raj’s music is a treat as well.

5.       The chemistry between Nag and Rishi is amazing and is built on the back of very little dialogue. A few nods, some winsome smiles and a mutual respect for each other united in the quest for the same objective is what lends a unique character to the movie.

Kavaludaari has its flaws; there are scenes which do not stack up in terms of logic – take for example the moment where one word of admonition is enough to get Nag to give up his alcohol and join the investigation effort. Or the scenes where the goons attack Nag at his house and he tries to defend himself with a single barrel rifle. Kavaludaari is not a pathbreaker in the interesting journey of Kannada cinema but will find a unique place in its annals for an intrepid directorial effort.