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EDITOR'S PICK
I love a film that doesn`t hesitate to present what it had originally planned to
such as "Karimedu", which takes a true story and treats it with such
honesty that you want to laud the effort. Even though it is all about heinous
crimes and gore, you can`t possibly hate the film because it recreates true
events to perfection that will send chills up your spine.
Can we imagine a film without a hero and a villain? But, here is a film that
strips itself of the commercial tag and narrates the story of eleven members of
one of the most feared gangs of Karnataka in the late 1990s called `Dandupalya`.
Originally made in Kannada as "Dandupalya", the film has been dubbed
in Tamil as "Karimedu".
The story takes us through those days of a long forgotten era when the gang
ruled the streets of Karnataka with their nefarious activities. From robbery to
murder to rape, there is nothing that these members haven`t done to strike fear
in the hearts of the residents and police department. After ruling for years,
how was this gang eventually nabbed forms the crux of the plot.
Realistic would be an understatement to describe the mood and setting of the
film that might make many cringe in their seats. But with the conviction and
commitment with which director Srinivasaraju brings this story alive on the
screen, is outstanding. To even attempt a story with no hero, neither glitz nor
glamour is an unbelievable feat, but despite all that "Karimedu"
evolves as a winner, at least it did in Kannada.
The film tracks the crimes committed by the gang with a simple modus operandi
over a period time. We aren`t really told how this gang took shape, but what we
do come to learn is that every member in it has a depressing back story, which
could have probably propelled them into such a lifestyle.
"Karimedu" is powered by some stellar performances. Pooja Gandhi as
the leader of the gang is brilliant and extremely confident in her role. While
some may typecast her performance as cheap and unwelcoming, I believe it takes
guts for a regular heroine to shed her image and agree to play such a gritty
part. She definitely deserves special mention for proving cliches wrong.
Let`s not forget some equally amazing contribution from Makarand Deshpande and
Ravi Kale. Ravi Shankar gives life to his role of police inspector, while others
in their respective parts outshine each other.
If you ever want to make a film based on true events, then I highly recommend
you to revisit "Karimedu", especially if it is going to be about the
story of some gang.