'Ombatthane Dikku' Movie Review: Suspense thriller

Movie: Ombatthane Dikku (Kannada)
Director: Dayal Padmanabhan.
Cast: Yogesh, Aditi Prabhudeva, Saikumar, Ramesh Bhat, Sampath, Ashok, Prashanth Siddi, Mahesh, Ambuja, Sundar, and late Rockline Sudhakar.
Duration: 135 minutes.

By Y Maheswara Reddy

It is a remake of the Tamil movie “Kurangu Bommai” that was released in September 2017. However, director Dayal Padmanabhan has aptly adapted it to Kannada nativity. He has changed some of the original dialogues (the advance amount Rs 2 crore as Rs 1 crore and the balance amount Rs 3 crore as Rs 4 crore) and names of the characters while writing the script for Kannada version.

Its screenplay is in a nonlinear method that is introducing so many flashbacks while narrating the story. Though the director and editor of this movie have to put up a lot of effort to use this method, it may inconvenience the audiences, especially those who come to movie theatres to spend their leisure time by spending their hardearned money.

The movie begins with two henchmen of a smuggler, with torch lights in hand, entering into a temple and stealing an idol of a local deity without any hassles. Later, the thieves hand over the idol worth crores of rupees to their leader Varada (Saikumar). At this juncture, the director introduces Channa (Yogesh) returning home from Bengaluru. He meets Saroja (Aditi Prabhudeva) who also boards the same bus. Both of them fall in love during the journey. Channa informs his father that he wants to marry Saroja. Channa and his parents visit Saroja’s residence but get embarrassed. Saroja’s father rejects the proposal after coming to know that Channa’s father Vasu (Ashok) is associated with Varada.

Meanwhile, Channa goes back to Bengaluru. Circumstances compel him to meet Saroja who is desperate trying to arrange money for her father’s treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru. At this juncture, Channa receives a phone call from his mother stating that his father, who left for Bengaluru, has not returned home for two days. What happened to Channa’s father is the climax.

Yogesh, as a lover, an obedient son and a villain for bad people, is at his best. His performance in a stunt sequence during the climax is superb. Aditi Prabhudeva has acted well. Ashok’s performance, in a scene where he reveals his pathetic background to a person who wants to kill him, has the potential to melt your heart. Veteran artiste Ramesh Bhat, as a hapless middle - class parent, has provided a good support. Ambuja, as an unkind wife, has acted well. Among the actors it is Sampath who walks away with all honours for his sterling performance. Manikanth Kadri ‘s music is okay. Rakesh has done a neat job behind the camera. It is worth watching for those who crave suspense thrillers.