Vijay's latest Kannada film, Taakat was early awaited due to many reasons. One, because it promised to show Vijay in a new kind of role. Two, the rural setting and lastly, its director, M S Ramesh, who proved his mettle as a reasonably good dialogue writer.

Alas, Taakat fails to live up to the expectations by turning out to be a very ordinary film with nothing fresh to offer the audience. In fact, the story of the film resembles those made during the seventies. Maybe Ramesh was inspired by the success of Dr Raj Kumar's successful blockbuster Sampaththige Savaal, though Taakat is nothing like it.

Taakat tells the story of a bus cleaner Basya who is wooed by a rich girl. How the poor man wins his love in the face of stiff opposition from the father and uncle of the rich girl forms the story element.

The problem with the film is that it is predictable. Ramesh may well argue that he had taken a stereotyped story only because of Vijay's existing image and his appeal in the B and C centres. But the situation has changed enormously these days what with the rapid advance of technology. Even, the rural people are becoming more aware. So films like Taakat may well look unconvincing even to these village people.

The dialogues of the film are good in places. Vijay's dialogue that he is born to his father and not for money is one of the appreciable dialogues written by Ramesh. 

Vijay's performance in Taakat is nothing to write home about though he excels in the action sequences. Shubha Poonja's characterisation is weak and except for Avinash's performance, there's nothing much to say here. Even veterans like Rangayana Raghu, Shobharaj, Sathyajit and Sanketh Kashi fail to impress.  

Surprisingly even music director Guru Kiran has come out with weak numbers. The camera work too is ordinary.

Watch Taakat only if you are an ardent Vijay fan.    

Rediff Rating: