<p>Kannada (U/A)<br />Cast: Upendra, Ragini, Sadaa, Seetha, Sayyajirao Shinde, Adi Lokesh and Rajesh<br />Director: P Vasu<br /><br /></p>.<p>Director P Vasu brings Aarakshaka with Uppi playing the lead. A rip-off of Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island, Aarakshaka plays havoc on an unsuspecting viewer for most of the time.<br /><br />Right at the outset, Arunkumar’s (Upendra) disturbed state of mind reveals the film’s best kept secret: its original source of inspiration. He appears normal and relaxed in songs with the evanescent Sadaa though. The Sheela ki jawani clone song with Ragini doesn’t count. <br /><br />The director stays true to the many twists and turns, tweaking the script here and there, making it increasingly predictable ; the viewer is kept under a perpetual state of disbelief and confusion. Das’ camera and Gurukiran’s expert background score add to the tension. <br /><br />Dialogues add value to the film. Ragini gets a meaty role—her expressions in places add to the general confusion. <br /><br />Upendra hams and hammers his way through the role – a perfect cast by the director. But it would be interesting to watch Uppi in a calm frame of mind, in full control of himself. <br /><br />Close-ups should also have been avoided. Adi Lokesh truly had never essayed such a role - getting sprayed with bullets the third time he appears on screen! Seetha is beautiful and dignified. <br /><br />Sayyajirao Shinde should have had some assistance in understanding the nuances of synchronising lip movements with his character. The climax drags a bit but panders to the hero’s image. According to Upendra, even the intelligent will require repeated viewing to understand the entire film. But then, the viewer is not a fool either.<br /></p>
<p>Kannada (U/A)<br />Cast: Upendra, Ragini, Sadaa, Seetha, Sayyajirao Shinde, Adi Lokesh and Rajesh<br />Director: P Vasu<br /><br /></p>.<p>Director P Vasu brings Aarakshaka with Uppi playing the lead. A rip-off of Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island, Aarakshaka plays havoc on an unsuspecting viewer for most of the time.<br /><br />Right at the outset, Arunkumar’s (Upendra) disturbed state of mind reveals the film’s best kept secret: its original source of inspiration. He appears normal and relaxed in songs with the evanescent Sadaa though. The Sheela ki jawani clone song with Ragini doesn’t count. <br /><br />The director stays true to the many twists and turns, tweaking the script here and there, making it increasingly predictable ; the viewer is kept under a perpetual state of disbelief and confusion. Das’ camera and Gurukiran’s expert background score add to the tension. <br /><br />Dialogues add value to the film. Ragini gets a meaty role—her expressions in places add to the general confusion. <br /><br />Upendra hams and hammers his way through the role – a perfect cast by the director. But it would be interesting to watch Uppi in a calm frame of mind, in full control of himself. <br /><br />Close-ups should also have been avoided. Adi Lokesh truly had never essayed such a role - getting sprayed with bullets the third time he appears on screen! Seetha is beautiful and dignified. <br /><br />Sayyajirao Shinde should have had some assistance in understanding the nuances of synchronising lip movements with his character. The climax drags a bit but panders to the hero’s image. According to Upendra, even the intelligent will require repeated viewing to understand the entire film. But then, the viewer is not a fool either.<br /></p>