Not bad, not good either

Moggina Jade directed by Ramadasa Naidu was screened at the Indian Panorama, IIFI as well as at the International Children's film festival last year. Earlier too, Naidu's previous films Mussanje and Pravaaha were selected for the Indian Panorama and had won the Karnataka state awards.  

Moggina Jade focuses on the emotional ripple effect caused by urbanisation and outsourcing. Naidu's previous film Pravaaha also focused on the impact of economic reforms and urbanisation on pottery and other small scale cottage industries. 

Moggina Jade is named after hair which is braided with jasmine flowers. Small girls in South Karnataka are dressed up like dolls in silken clothes and their hair braided a la Moggina Jade. But in the film, Priya, the girl child is forbidden by her mother to braid her hair. Rekha, the girl's mother works for an outsourcing firm and is more interested in partying than to be with her daughter.

Priya lives in a joint family and is very close to her grandparents Srikantaiah and Sarasamma.  Though her father Raghavendra was brought up in a traditional milieu, he undergoes a sea change after getting a job in a multinational firm and marrying Rekha, a symbol of modernity. 

Young Priya's desire for a more traditional life (as symbolised by her desire to braid her hair) is not understood by her parents who prefer to move out of the family home. Priya's grandmother hands over a plait to her son for Priya, but the maid Nagarathna gets it instead. 

Meanwhile, Priya who is isolated from her traditional environment develops a friendship with a roadside gypsy. Priya's parents get a scare when Priya decides to leave home in search of her gypsy friend. Things, however end happily after Priya is reunited with her parents, who by now have come to understand that it is not always a good idea to impose their ideas on their child.   

Naidu's films have always been emotionally charged and Moggina Jade is no different. However, the film lacks a punch because of artificial dialogues.  The climax of the film too could have been narrated better.

Baby Shreesha puts in a credible performance as Priya. Well-known television actor Rajesh is convincing in his role. Sringeri Ramanna comes out with an emotional performance. 

S Ramachandra who has always been part of the art film movement in Kannada has done a neat job. L Vadiyanathan's back ground score is apt.  

Moggina Jade is a film for those who want to see artistic films. That said, this is not a patch on Naidu's previous film Mussanje, which was a classic by all standards.   

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