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EDITOR'S PICK
`Karanjji`: recommended for the musically inclined (IANS Film Review)
Ratings: **
Top of the line performance by Vijaya
Raghavendra, extraordinary musical content provided by Veera Samarth and
competent visual support by Guruprashanth Rai are the major highlights of "Karanjji"
which traces the journey of a Kannada music band.
"Karanjji" comes alive in the song sequences, but it does have many
failings. Its slow pace and weak characterisations are the biggest drawbacks of
the film.
Director Sreedhar has scripted the film on a thin story line. There are too many
sequences which relate to the problems between the band members which look
repetitive and ineffective.
And some sequences do not convey anything and do not take the story forward. If
such inadequacies had been avoided, "Karanjji" would have been a
better film.
The highlight of the film is certainly Veera Samarth`s sensational music. The
tunes of "Ee Dina Hosadaagide", "Kumbarakki", "Yaaroo
Haadadha" and the climax song are fresh and melodious.
The story: Viji and his group of friends form a band. Faced with failure in a
competition, the friends move out to Viji`s village where they meet a music
teacher, who advises them to be passionate about music and tells them that good
music only comes from the heart.
Viji and his friends then reinvent their group`s music to include Kannada folk
music. After several obstacles, the band wins the competition.
Vijaya Raghavendra comes out with a neat performance. However "Sur"
fame Gauri Karnik is a let down. The director could have chosen a Kannada girl
instead for this role in a film that is strong on Kannada roots.
Veteran artists like Sudha Belawadi, Sridhar and Chandrashekhar are bogged down
by ineffective characterisation.
Guruprashanth Rai`s camera work is another highlight. The art director has done
a very decent job in the film.
"Karanjji" is a film recommended for the musically inclined younger
minds.