Film: Badava Rascal (Kannada)
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Dhananjay, Amrutha Iyengar, Nagabhushana NS, Rangayana Raghu, Tara, Rekha, Vijay Prasad, Guruprasd.
Music: Vasuki Vaibhav
Cinematography: Preetha Jayaraman
Editor: Niranjan Devaramane
Producer: Dhananjay
Directed by: Shankar Guru
Release Date: 24 December 2021
The film Badava Rascal has created a lot of buzz in Kannada film industry. Dhananjay, apart from playing the lead role, makes debut as a producer in Sandalwood.
Let us analyse
The story is about Shankar (Dhananjay) who is ever ready to empty two to three bottles of liquor or beer at one go. Shankar is also ready to go to any extent to help his friends. He happens to fall in love with Sangeetha (Amrutha Iyengar), the daughter of Premakumari (Rekha), a politician. As usual, Sangeetha’s mother becomes a villain for her. Shankar’s parents (Rangayana Raghu and Tara) try their best to convince Premekumari but in vain. Will Shankar joins hands with Sangeetha to lead a happy married life is the climax.
Artistes’ performance:
Dhananjay who is also known as Daali Dhananjay for his sterling performance in Shivarajkumar-starred movie Tagaru, has once again proved his acting skills with this movie. Dhananjay’s performance in song and stunt sequences is superb. His performance in these scenes is on the lines of his title – Nata Rakshasa. As a drunkard and disappointed lover in Badava Rascal, he reminds of his performance in Kannada movie Popcorn Monkey Tiger that was released in February 2020. His plus points are his physique and dialogue delivery.
Amrutha Iyengar, who acted as Dhananjay’s lover in Popcorn Monkey Tiger, has also acted as his girlfriend in this movie. Her performance in a scene where he not only chides the hero's friends but also threatens to kill them by giving coffee mixed with poison deserves appreciation.
When it comes to character artistes Rangayana Raghu and Tara, both have vied with each other in almost all the scenes in which they appear. It is for the second time both of them acted as a couple after playing similar roles in Kannada movie Modala Sala that was released in May 2016. Tara as a concerned mother and Rangayana Raghu as an affectionate father walk away with all honours. Their dialogues are loaded with sentiment and convey a message to society, especially to the younger generation.
Rekha, known as Sparsha Rekha, is convincing as a shrewd and scheming politician who is interested in preaching and certainly not inclined to practice. Nagabhushana NS has provided comedy.
Highlights:
Dhananjay, Tara and Rangayana Raghu
Punchy dialogues, music and cinematography.
Drawbacks:
Poor narration
Many scenes glorifying emptying liquor bottles and smoking cigarettes.
Analysis
Shankar Guru, who makes debut as a full-fledged director with this movie, has aptly narrated the problems, desires and ambitions of youth from middle-class families in Bengaluru. He has explained how the youth from such families easily get disappointed when they fail to realize their desires and ambitions. The only problem with the director is that he gave more screen space to characters busy with either smoking cigarettes or emptying liquor or beer bottles as if there is no other option to realize their desires and dreams. It is unfortunate that the director has not realized the adverse impact of such scenes - boozing and smoking.
Cinematographer Preethi Jayaraman has done an excellent job behind the camera. Vasuki Vaibhav has provided peppy and foot-tapping music.
Bottom-line: Only for mass audiences, especially front-benchers