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Actor Prajwal Devaraj's new Kannada film Gulama -- directed by well known writer Ranganath -- is the year's first release.
Ranganath has tried to portray a triangular love story in an underworld backdrop in Gulama as realistically as possible. But the narration is ineffective in many important sequences. The film's climax is also a big letdown because it ends up as a rhetorical exercise.
Many sequences in the second half look too shallow, and the flashbacks only confuse the audience.
The story goes like this: Anil is the son of a policeman. His neighbour Divya likes him, but Anil is attracted to Priyanka who wants to make it big in the glamour world. Anil does not reveal his feelings to Priyanka and does not know that Divya has a crush on him. He takes Divya's to support Priyanka's ambition.
When Anil's father is attacked by Mafi Gowda's gang in the city, he attacks them back, and becomes the target of the gang. Meanwhile, the police are also hunting for Anil, who has been linked to the killing of a member of Mafi's gang as Anil makes arrangements for Priyanka to appear in a fashion show in Mumbai.
Prajwal Devaraj has to improve a lot in dialogue delivery and performance but he has done a better job in the fight and dance sequences. Mumbai-based model Biyaanka does better than Kannada girl Sonu. Rangayana Raghu acts well in a subdued role, but the newcomers fail to impress.
Guru Kiran does not make any impact with his music compositions. Vishnuvardhan's cinematography and Danny's fights choreography are better handled.
Gulama may impress the mass audience to some extent, but it is not meant for the family audience.
Rediff Rating: 