Power * * * (Kannada)
Director: K. Madesh
Cast: Puneet Rajkumar, Trisha Krishnan, Shivaji Prabhu, Kelly Dorjee, Rangayana Raghu, Sadhu Kokila, Tennis Krishna, Doddanna, Avinash, Jai Jagadis, Mandya Ramesh
The much-awaited Power *** can well be described as a Ganesh Chaturti gift for Puneet Rajkumar fans. At the same time, the film will not disappoint regular moviegoers, as it is the right blend of action, sentiment and comedy.
A remake of Dukudu (directed by Sreenu Vaitla) starring Mahesh Babu, Power *** remains faithful to the original. In fact, Dukudu was loosely based on Good Bye Lenin!, a 2003 German tragicomedy by Wolfgang Becker.
K. Madesh, known for churning out remakes, leaves no stone unturned in boosting Puneet’s image through breathtaking action-dance sequences. Like Dukudu , which cashed in on the image of N.T. Rama Rao, Power ***also makes use of Annavru’s (Dr. Rajkumar) image.
Puneet’s character’s love for his father (Shivaji Prabhu) and the emotional sequences that happen in his large family will touch the audience’s hearts. He handles a truck-load of villains with his bare hands and gets the loveliest girl (Trisha Krishnan) in the land to fall in love with him.
The film opens in a sepia tone, portraying Krishna Prasad (Shivaji Prabhu), an ardent follower of Dr. Rajkumar and politician with a difference. He has a battery of enemies (Doddanna, Sharat Lohitashwa and Kelly Dorjee), because of his pro-people stand. Finally, he meets with a gory accident. His son, Bharat IPS (Puneet), enters the scene, after busting an international mafia ring in Spain.
Bharat takes care of his father, who wakes up from a coma after 14 years but suffers from a double identity of sorts, with the support of Rangayana Raghu and Sadhu Kokila. While attending to his father, Bharat makes headway in catching criminals. Those who haven’t watched Dukudu, watch Power *** to know how the film ends.
The director deserves appreciation for packing the film with the right elements and remaining faithful to the original. The dialogues are good and keep the film moving. Puneet excels as the super cop, loving son and heartthrob. Like other commercial films, Trishna has no scope for acting. Rangayana Raghu and Sadhu Kokila are not a match for Brahmanandam and Narayana of Dukudu . Krishna Kumar captures the scenic beauty of Spain, Mumbai and other outdoor spots. Thaman’s background score is good.
