Nepaali, directed by V Z Dhorai, manages to steer clear of the beaten track and plot a course in uncharted territory. And that in itself deserves some applause even if the first half an hour presents a confusing variety of events and people that heralds a tangled plot.
Three different sets of events proceed simultaneously on screen: one a vibrant wash of colours, which you might mistake for the present, is actually the far past; scenes in sepia tones catalogue the recent past while the ones with a bluish tinge represent the present.
And in all three, it's Bharath who takes centre-stage.
A bubbly software engineer, Karthik (Bharath) jumps around and enthusiastically romances an equally over-the-top Priya (Meera Jasmine); the two lovebirds take turns detailing the saga of their love.
It's a narrative that's full of colours and flowers, surprise meetings, much girly squeals, missed calls and charming sms'. Their love is the stuff of fairytales; marriage deepens their affection until fate plays its villainous card, in the form of the neighbourhood's police inspector.
The man harasses Priya, first subtly, then strongly, setting up a chain of reactions that continue right up to the last reel.
Meantime, the story cuts across to sepia-toned jail sequences, showing a bespectacled, worn prisoner trying desperately to kill himself, getting into trouble with the jailer, and ending up suffering even more punishment.
And then there's his mysterious neighbour, a Nepali (Govind Namdev) who rarely speaks but who holds many secrets in his heart and develops a sort of kinship with this half-crazed tortured soul.
And then there's the present day: mysterious murders occur in the city, to which the police receive clues in advance but they're a meaningless jumble. Slowly but surely, the team assembles them, working out the who, what and where
finally constructing a logical flow of events, cause and effect.
A Nepali wanders around the city, popping up in unexpected places, and contacting strange men. But what does he have to do with the people getting killed?
To say that Bharath has shouldered the movie like the proverbial Atlas heaving up the Earth would be an understatement: he occupies practically every frame, playing all the right emotions, etching three very different characters in each scene.
As the spirited Karthik, he's full of himself; as the prisoner, he's close to a bag of bones, crushed with despair and close to giving up; as the Nepali who wears pointy eyebrows and speaks with a stutter. He's managed to give a different touch to each portrayal.
Its hard work requiring careful execution and Bharath has given it his all. Well done.
As the movie progresses, it cuts across the three segments more and more frequently. The story grows clearer, providing the viewer with not just the missing pieces of the plot, but motive as well.
And it's here that Meera Jasmine shines. As the young girl hopelessly in love, she's cute and sometimes irritating; as the sexually harassed wife who goes slowly from uneasiness to outright terror she's in her element. Her horrible end tugs at your heartstrings.
Obviously, it's the screenplay that's got to take the credit. After a really long time, the police force, instead of sitting around waiting for the hero to wrap up things, actually conducts an investigation, and what's more, does it logically and in a meaningful fashion!
Several times, the cat-and-mouse game between the police and the Nepali leaves you on the edge of the seat. That isn't to say that there are no plot-holes: how, for example, does Bharath survive when he's out of prison? Where does the Nepali get all the high-funda drug knowledge used for the murders? Why all the red and green graphics stuff explaining bodily functions? How does an ordinary software engineer manage to live in such a posh mansion?
But these are flaws that are swept away in the otherwise racy thriller. There are a host of other characters which add some depth to the narrative: the steely jailer, Meera's parents, the harassing police officer
nor, but meaningful portrayals.
The climax comes as no surprise but it's been handled with a deft twist which makes you sit up. Not to mention making you melt, as well. It deserves the 'A' certificate though: violence and lust-coated scenes are inserted whenever possible, with loud bashing scenes and blood spurting all over the place.
Srikanth Deva's music has hit the mark here. You only wish he used some subtle tones occasionally.
Nepali is quick, fast, racy and new -- with just a few bumps along the road. On the whole, though, it makes a fairly good show.
