Kannada Review: 'Shikari' has a strong script

Cast: Mammootty, Poonam Bajwa, Adithya, Mohan, Innocent, Neenasam Achyutha, Sharathi Lohithashwa, Sathish, Neenasam Aswath, Mathew, Sihi Kahi Chandru, and others

Direction: Abhaya Simha

'Shikari' shows the sparks of brilliance in Abhaya Simha as a writer. He has written a good script and even dialogues make a good impact. The film distinguishes itself from normal Kannada films in the way it has been written.

Two films hit theaters down south this week - the much awaited '3' and Malayalam film 'Lovely'.
Directed by Aishwarya Dhanush, '3' will hit the screens on March 30, 2012.
'3' has got a U-certificate from the censor board.
Dhanush and Shruti Haasan play the lead roles in the movie.
This Tamil film has been produced by Kasthuri Raja.
The movie will also be dubbed in Hindi.
The film marks the directorial debut of Dhanush's wife and superstar Rajinikanth's daughter Aishwarya.
Dhanush's song 'Kolaveri Di' from '3' became an instant hit.
Thanks to the 'Kolaveri Di' success, Dhanush became a famous name in the country.
Let's see if the 'Kolaveri Di' song can bring success to the film as well.
'Kolaveri Di' is sung and written by Dhanush.
Hindi rights for the movie have been sold for a record price.
Sound designer Resul Pookutty's contribution has elevated the film to a whole new level.
Anirudh is the music director of the film '3'.
Dhanush was eyeing a nationwide release of '3'.
Initially, actress Amala Paul was signed on for '3'.
Due to some date problems Amala Paul had to leave the film and Shruti Haasan was signed in place of her.
Dhanush made his acting debut with 'Thulluvadho Ilamai' in 2002. 'Kadhal Kondein', 'Pudhupettai' and 'Aadukalam' are some of the most popular films of Dhanush.
Just a few films old, Shruti Haasan has already become a sensation in the industry.
Shruti is actor Kamal Haasan's daughter. Shruti Haasan is a singer and music composer as well.
Telugu movie 'Lovely' hits screens on March 30.
The movie stars Aadhi and Shanvi in the lead roles.
The film also has Rajendra Prasad, Vennela Kishore and Paruchuri Gopalakrishna.
The movie also has Rahul Dev.
The movie has been directed by Jaya B.
Raju B A is the producer of 'Lovely'.
The music director is Anup Rupens.
The lyricists of the movie are Ramajogaya Sastry, Ananth Sriram, Anup Rupens and Sirasri.
The movie is a musical romantic drama.
The cast and crew had to survive a snow storm during the shooting of one of the songs.
The songs of the film are expected to do very well.
'Ordinary' is a Malayalam film that releases this week.
'Ordinary' hits screens on March 30.
Susheeth is the the director of the movie.
The movie stars Kunchako Boban, Biju Menon, Asif Ali, Ann Augustine and Unni Mukundan.
The story is written by Nishad K Koya and Manu Prasad.
'Ordinary' is a rom-com directed by Susheeth.
Kunchako Boban plays a bus conductor in the movie.
Biju Menon plays the role of a driver.
The movie is about the story of people - as the tag line goes.
'Govindaya Namah' is a Kannada movie.
The movie hits screens March 30.
The movie stars Komal Kumar and Parul Yadav.
The movie has been directed by Pawan Wodeyar.
The music for the movie has been given by Gurukiran.
'Masters' is a Malayalam action thriller.
Directed by Johny Antony, the movie hits theaters March 30.
The movie stars Sasikumar, Prithviraj and Jagathy Sreekumar.
'Masters' is an action thriller starring Prithviraj.
He plays the role of Sreeramakrishnan, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Police.
Kannada film 'Shikari' opens this week.
'Shikari' hits screens March 30.
'Shikari' stars Mammootty, Poonam Bajwa and Achyuth Kumar.
The movie has been directed by Abhay Simha.
V Harikrishna has given the music for this action film.
Malayalam movie 'Outsider' hits screens this week.
'Outsider' opens on March 30.
The movie stars Indrajith and Sreenivasan.
'Outsider' is directed by Premlal.
The music in the film is by Sangeeth.

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$Kannada Review: \'Shikari\' has a strong script$

\'Shikari\' is a good attempt despite some major mistakes.

It is plausible that Abhaya convinced Malayalam superstar Mammootty to work in a script that is essentially rooted in the Kannada ethos. 'Shikari' is the story of Abhijith, a software engineer in Bengaluru, who accidentally comes across a half-written manuscript novel set in the pre-independence era. The novel is about a hunter and a village girl.

Abhijith loves Aruna, the prime character of the novel, who is a hunter arousing patriotic feelings in the rural folk. In the novel, Aruna is in love with Renuka, a village girl and daughter of a rich person. Since the novel is half completed, Abhijith sets on a journey to Manjinadka village near Theerthahalli to find the remaining pages of the book.

There he meets Nanditha, who is trying to sell her ancestral property and settle in Bengaluru. Abhijith imagines Aruna to be his own lookalike and Nanditha as Renuka.

He will not be able to meet the real life characters of the novel based on the freedom upspring in the village, but he finds Renuka to be dead just at a time when the intensity of love towards Nanditha escalates. Then Nanditha says that she is in love with Abhijith and had written the remaining pages of the novel with her own imagination.

The film is slow but sometimes gets into engaging mode. Through the film, Abhaya has tried to convey a message that even after 65 years of Independence, the country is still under the control of foreign hegemony through trade and business contracts. However, the message fails to make an impact because of the director's confused narration. .

The quality of the film's music and camera work has attained respectable standards. However, a major flaw of the film is Mammootty's dubbing, which is quite inferior and does not match well with the content.

Mammootty plays the role of software engineer, but his performance as Aruna, the hunter, is the best part of the film. However, unfortunately his dubbing is a big let down. He is shown as a Delhi-based North Indian, but speaks Kannada in the Malayalam accent.

While Poonam does justice to her role, Malayalam actor Innocent, Mathew, Kannada artist Neenasam Achutha, Sharath Lohithashwa, Aswath, Sathish, Sihi Kahi Chandru have also aptly filled in their roles. Harikrishna has created the best background score for the film as well as musical composition.

Shrivastava's camera work captures the old structures and interiors very well. The art direction by Dinesh Mangalore is also commendable. 'Shikari' is a good attempt despite some major mistakes.