Upendra rocks in Masti

A spate of films have been made on the Bangalore underworld ever since Upendra's OM was a hit.  Except for a few like Jogi, Deadly Soma and the recently released Duniya, most of them have fallen flat at the box office because of excessive violence and bad narration. Masti is the latest addition to the genre.

There was an infamous man by the name of Maasthi in the '70s who was killed in a gang war. Maasthi hailed from the village Maasthi, thus taking his name. Director Shivamani takes this element from Maasthi's life and develops it into a story, changing the name somewhat. One must say Masti stands out as one of his best directed films in the recent times. Surprisingly Shivamani, who usually focuses more on the technical aspects of his films, has underlined the importance of the story with this venture. Malavalli Saikrishna's dialogues are also very powerful. The minus point in the film is the excruciating length of the fight sequences in the second half.   

Masti hails from a village near Kollegal and carries the name of Siddappaji. His brother Rachappaaji migrates to the city to make it as a small-time politician cum social worker. His penchant for taking up people's issues creates problems with a don's family. Rachappaaji is done to death by his opponents in front of Siddappaji and his parents. An enraged Siddappaji kills the corporator's brother on the spot. This innocent action makes him a darling of the rival gang, where he gets the name Masti. A girl loves him intensely, but Masti shows indifference. But when he is finally attracted to the girl, he decides to cut himself off from the underworld. What happens later is better watched in the theatre. 

The film marks a new innings in Upendra's career. While OM remains one of his best directed films, Masti certainly can be termed as one of his best performances. He is silent, and effective. Jennifer excels in a not-so-glamourous role. We get to see her acting talents for the first time. Ramesh Bhat, Umashri and Shashi Kumar do well in their respective roles as Siddappaji's parents and brother. Villains Kota Srinivasa Rao, Jeevi, Sathyaprakash pass muster. The comedy sequences featuring  Sadhu Kokila and Bullet Prakash  will certainly entertain the audience.

Technically, the film is much better than many other Kannada films. The photography by Giri captures some fantastic visuals in the sequences picturised in Mantralaya. The song picturisations are also the best part of the film.

Masti is one of the better films released these days, and Uppi fans will certainly find it appealing.  

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