'Sanju' movie review: No spark in this love story

‘Sanju’ operates on a much-cliched template of a love story. It ropes in elements like melodrama, action, and situational-song sequences to impress the viewers. While seasoned artistes like Apoorva Shri, Sangeetha Anil, and Bala Rajawadi give their best to the roles assigned to them, lead actors Manvith Shivalingappa (who plays Sanju) and Shravya (plays Saraswathi) appear to tread the craft like amateurs.

The story unfolds at Naidile Bus Stop, making it a pivotal space in the narrative. It is in the flashback sequence that the lead pair reveals their story. Sanju, who’s recovering from a break-up, realises the foolishness of brooding over a rejection. Saraswathi takes extreme measures to avoid her constantly-suspecting and imposing father. 

Amid this, other characters tell their tales, mostly woeful. For instance, there is a couple who is always fighting with each other. The husband reveals that they lost their child to an accident and he carries on these pretentious tiffs to distract his wife from their past. Then there is a boy who has lost his father and sisters to a calamity and has to find a job to take care of his mother. These characters attempt to add drama to the story and elevate the hero’s stature in the process. 

The climax is dull and concludes abruptly. The film tries to drive home the message that ‘hasty decisions lead to disastrous results’ but is quite unconvincing at that. The makers could have deliberated a bit more on tightening the script and training the actors. 

Yet, the movie must be appreciated for its cinematography and songs.