In the early 1990s underground cinema was equated with ‘ transgressive’ art, ultra low-budget films created in defiance of the commercial versions offered by wealthy makers and distributors. It was more a movement defined by the spirit rather than a definite genre. I would aver it’s about a venture bigger in thought than by budget targeting a niche audience. Something similar is happening here. While the moneybags try to cater to the so-called A, B and C class audiences and most times fail to attract all three a small section, driven more by passion than pelf plan and execute films that would lure the multiplex goers. You could also call them the T (techies) class. They are rabid film lovers disgruntled at the fare being churned out in the name of entertainment especially in Kannada. This set of audiences is a reality today, people who don’t throng on the first day but wait for positive online reviews from critics they consider reliable and ‘word of Whatsapp’ opinions. If they sense something interesting they go viral in promoting it. God save the producer if the buzz is negative. He would not even recover the money spent for promoting the film which is very important these days. An industry wag had an interesting take on this phenomenon. “It’s easy to impress these techies. You just have to befuddle them,” he smirked.
To be honest ‘Gultoo’ is not an enticing title. Sometimes there is such a suffuse of releases in Kannada that many go unnoticed just adding to the numbers. Just the title and posters can put you off. Monday morning show after a film’s release is the acid test and it was encouraging to see a steady stream in a multiplex. ‘Gultoo’ begins sedately in a college campus with ragging and a hero whose only ticket to a good life is education. He’s a geek but thankfully doesn’t don glasses. Girls want to date him simply because he can hack into and get free cinema tickets. He’s ambitious yet practical. There’s no heartbreak when he breaks up with his girlfriend. After a monologue about the dreary lifestyle of techies he decides to become an entrepreneur. Three years hence he’s serving at a coffee shop and imparting knowledge in the evenings. It takes time for the plot to unfold while the director establishes an uninteresting office romance. What is more amusing is his pals corny attempts to seduce via whatsapp. The exchanges are hilarious.
Someone somewhere knows everything about us. The most innocuous of applications we download want to know every tiny personal detail. It’s about whether the information is worth selling. Apparently there is and the price tag is hefty. You no longer have to break into safety lockers. Stealing passwords is more lucrative. Janardhan Chikkanna spins a fine, relevant yarn enticing you into a web of intrigue, ambition and deceit. He often gives you the impression he does not have enough material especially in the first half. Romance is definitely not his forte and the tackily shot songs just don’t help. Tautness is the keyword if you’re attempting a thriller. The advantage is that the pace in the second half is relentless making you forgive the first half which is saved more by the hero’s friend and his harmless shenanigans. The ruse of using the heroine to honey trap is interesting but there’s another twist too. The grey shade Janardhan paints the hero’s character with is fascinating. There’s a wafer thin line between greed and ambition. In the end is it the triumph of good over evil?
Technique is perfunctory. Janardhan depends on a script which treats the viewer as an intelligent equal. He doesn’t over-simplify anything especially the crucial parts that speak about the modus operandi of the hero. The casting is spot on. Naveen Kumar just sails through effortlessly. Sonu gets a meaty role and delivers. Janardhan’s triumph lies in bringing out the best in Avinash and Rangayana Raghu. They are subdued and effective. The masterstroke is casting Pawan Kumar whose presence and posts on various social media portals enjoy a healthy following.
He also happens to be a darling of the ‘T’ class even if it’s more for his direction. His presence would have evoked curiosity, initially at least.
Ultimately ‘Gultoo’ is working because it manages to keep you engaged for a couple of hours without assaulting your senses. The screen is not bathed in blood like in ‘Tagaru’. The shade here is grey, be it the hero’s character or the directors brain.
sshivu@yahoo.com
