– Chetan Nadiger
Film: Not Out
Producer: Ravikumar and Shamshuddin
Director: Ambareesh
Starring: Ajay Prithvi, Rachana Inder, Ravishankar, Gopalakrishna Deshapande, Cockroach Sudhi, Salman and others
The pandemic has been a source of inspiration to many filmmakers across India in the last few years. Many films have been made in Kannada alone about the various aspects of pandemic. This week’s release ‘Not Out’ is an addition to it. The film is not completely about the pandemic, but the film is based on how it taught many a lesson.
The film starts with Ajay (Ajay Prithvi) an Ambulance driver who is in a pressure to return a loan that he has taken from a financier called Ontikoppal Devaraj (Ravishankar) to buy an ambulance. The ambulance gets stolen and Ajay has to repay a big sum to the merciless moneylender. He also has to fulfill his girlfriend’s dream of settling in abroad. While, Ajay is looking for a way to come out of his difficulties, there is another NRI Sridhar (Gopalakrishna Deshapande) who is at suffering from the same for another reason. Ajay and the NRI join hands together to fight against the money lender. What happens next forms the crux of the film.
Though the film starts off with a crime, the film slowly shows the various struggles of the oppressed and how they try to tackle it in their own way. The film concludes with how the pandemic makes the evil turn good. Finally, the film is all about the awakening of the inner self and how pandemic becomes a reason for it.
Though the story sounds good, that’s not the case when it comes to screen. There are no entertaining elements to grab the attention of the audience. The highlight of the film is the last 20 minutes and except for that, there are scenes to keep the runtime flowing. The first half of the film just moves on with setting the premise for the story. There is a crucial twist during the pre-interval and the second half slowly gains momentum. However, the pace is very slow and it is only the climax that makes the audience sit out in attention.
Ajay Prithvi in his second outing has done a decent job. The actor who is seen in the role of an ambulance driver who is under a lot of pressure has put in his best. Rachana Inder is also good. However, it is Ravishankar who is at his best as the money lender. There are two shades to his character and Ravishankar is at his best. Gopalakrishna Deshapande, Cockroach Sudhi have also given adequate support.
There is nothing great about the technical aspects of the film.
First Verdict of ‘Bhairathi Ranagal’ released; film in September
