Saturday Aug 30 2008, Bangalore

'Maadesha' is for Shivarajkumar fans

Directed by - Ravi Srivatsa

Produced by - Goverdhana Murthy

Music by - Mano Murthy

Casts - Shivaraj Kumar, Sonu Bhatia, Ravi Belagere, Padmaja Rao, Ravi Kale and others

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The most controversial film of recent times, 'Maadesha' is quite different from usual gangster films.You may call it director Ravi Srivatsa's 'confused' intention or rather a difference; while in most of the underworld films the hero enters the underworld due to some unforeseen circumstances, the hero in ‘Maadesha’ takes to crime with an ambition! (Of course the director tries to bring in the role of the ‘unforeseen circumstances’).Apart from this, 'Maadesha' is just old wine in a new bottle, old story with a new and stylish presentation.This difference in presentation is what makes 'Maadesha' look a bit different from the usual underworld flicks.'Maadesha' has nothing new to boast of in terms of story.

Maadesha is a boy from the temple town of Nanjangood.As a young boy, Maadesha kills a person who eyes his mother.After spending nearly 14 years in jail, he comes to Bangalore.He gets a job in a petrol bunk through his friend.He is forced to fight some underworld hoodlums and in the battle he kills many.

He is given shelter by the bunk's owner Sarkar (Ravi Belagere).How Maadesha overtakes even Sarkar and grows in the underworld is the crux of the film.'Maadesha' starts on a realistic note with a real-estate shootout.Slowly the events become too cinematic and crime takes precedence.We ought to thank the censors (who could be called the real editors of this film) for cutting out some horrible bloodshed and gory sequences and changing the climax.

However, it seems the Censor Board could perhaps have gone in for a bit more of trimming.Ravi Srivatsa has been able to elicit good performances from the key players, especially Shivarajkumar, Ravi Belagere and Ravi Kale.Though the entire film is slow and boring, Shivarajkumar and Ravi Belagere make you sit glued on to your seats.Ravi Belagere, who was known for his ‘just okay’ kind of acting in his previous films, has excelled in the role of Sarkar.He gets lots of applause in the second half.

Shivarajkumar anyhow is at ease as Maadesha.The rest of the star-cast like Muni, Padmaja Rao and Vijayasarathy have done their bit to give life to their respective characters.Heroine Sonu Bhatia is simply wasted.Srivatsa is adequately backed by cameraman Seetharam's wonderful camerawork.Some of the sequences, particularly the fight sequences, are well shot.

Mano Murthy, who has composed music for an action film for the first time, is good in melody but not the raunchy and speedy numbers.Sadhu Kokila's background score needs a special mention.In short 'Maadesha' is a film for Shivarajkumar fans.