• Chetan Nadiger
Film: Raju James Bond
Director: Deepak Maduvanahalli
Producer: Manjunath Vishwakarma and Kiran Bharthur
Starring: Gurunandan, Mrudula, Ravishankar, Chikkanna, Sadhu Kokila, Achyuth Kumar and others
After ‘First Rank Raju’, Gurunandan makes a comeback as Raju in this week’s release ‘Raju James Bond’. This time he is not an innocent man, but portrays a person who robs a bank when the two things he values most are under risk.
Set in a small town, ‘Raju James Bond’ follows the story of Raju (Gurunandan), who has lost both his parents and is currently without a job. He assists his uncle Krishna (Achyuth Kumar), who works as an electrician. Meanwhile, Chikkanna portrays a local journalist operating a TV channel named TRP TV. Raju is in love with a schoolteacher, played by Mrudula, whose brother and sister-in-law are on the lookout for a suitable match to marry her off.
While Raju aspires to clear an exam for a banking position, he is also anxious about potentially losing the only home left to him by his parents, which the bank has taken over due to an outstanding loan. With his love and the house is at stake, he takes a desperate step of robbing the very bank that has lent the loan. What happens in this process forms the rest of the film.
‘Raju James Bond’ has nothing to do with the iconic James Bond character nor with the Bond films. The film revolves around random snippets of comedy, leading to a local heist storyline. Aside from a few captivating twists, the film takes a while to gain momentum, with the heist elements only emerging later. The screenplay and execution might test the audience’s patience, particularly before Ravi Shankar’s entry during the interval. The first half drags a bit, but the second half has some engaging moments.
The film mainly rests on Gurunandan and the actor has done his job. Mruduala has nothing much to do. Achyuth Kumar and Chikkanna provide good support. Ravishankar as usual is at his best. Sadhu Kokila and Tabla Nana are wasted. Anup Seelin’s music is good with ‘Kanmani’ topping the album.
‘Raju James Bond’ could have been better if it had a good screenplay with some thrilling moments. Watch it if you are a fan of comedy films.
