Happy New Year (Kannada)
Director: Pannaga Bharana
Cast: Sai Kumar, B.C. Patil, Digant, Dhananjaya, Vijaya Raghavendra, Shruthi Hariharan, Sonu Gowda, Shrusti Patil, Sudharani, Margarita, Master Vishwas
The latest trend in Sandalwood is multiple stories in one film. After Chowka , which had four different tracks, Happy New Year by débutante director Pannaga Bharana is an anthology film based on five stories about the lives and different shades of love of a Radio Jockey, techie, executive of a car showroom, a rowdy and a constable, which culminate on new year's eve.
Though the film might bring back memories of some Hollywood blockbusters, its strength lies in its narrative technique.
RJ Danny (Dhananjaya) is also a stand-up comedian. He is in a live-in relationship with Charvi (Shruthi Hariharan), who is a budding cartoonist. She suffers from a debilitating condition called cystic fibrosis. Danny leaves no stone unturned to make her happy in her last few days.
The story of the constable (Vijaya Raghavendra) is a reflection of the lives of people, who have to work tirelessly.
A turbulent childhood makes a rowdy (B.C. Patil) the man he is today — cynical and averse to happiness or any kind of celebration. His life changes with the entry of a foreigner, who is a social worker.
The techie (Diganth) abhors the idea of celebrating something like New Year's Eve. He meets a girl (Srushti Patil) in Pattaya and falls in love with her.
The last one is about an executive in a car showroom (Sai Prakash). He misunderstands the behaviour of a bubbly girl (Rajashri Ponnappa) and develops a crush on her.
After introducing the characters in the first half, Pannaga Bharana tries to create tensions between the pairs in the second half. Though the film was made keeping the young generation in mind, it is a complete family entertainer.
Dialogues by Simple Suni and Prathibha Nandakumar add value to the narration. Shresha Kuduvalli's cinematography adds value to the narration through delightful, but sensitive visuals.
