Katheyondu Shuruvagide Review - As simple and beautiful as it gets!!

Bharath Vijayakumar

Katheyondu Shuruvagide is a love story like every other. But it also is a love story like no other. The former because it is a simple love story. The latter because the way the characters are sketched is a far cry from what we are accustomed to in our cinemas. The film is narrated through the eyes of Tarun, a youngster who passionately runs a resort despite struggling to make solid profits. The film traverses through 4 days as we meet a handful of characters along with Tarun - the elderly couple (Murthy and Radha), the staff at the resort (Kutty, Pedro and Swarna) and the guest at the resort (Mrs.Mehra aka Tanya). Each one is having to deal with something very crucial at this point of their lives.

Romance might be at the core of Katheyondu Shuruvagide. But this is a film that celebrates love as a feeling rather than showcase it as a melting point of two hearts. Romance in the most understood form between a couple is certainly dealt with but this is a film that also shows the love someone has for his career or in better words as this film might put it, 'what one does day in and day out'.

I really liked the way the film eschewed from judging any of the characters. When Tarun reveals about his past love, he says the girl wanted him to continue in a career that he did not want to. Most films might have projected this as a scenario of the girl having dumped him for a secure future. But over here it is simply implied as a decision that was made. Tarun says he moved on to something that he wanted to do and let the girl have a future that she wanted to have. Equally heartwarming is the way the film showcases the love of Pedro for Swarna. He isn't merely there for comic relief and in one of the striking scenes of the film, his love is given the due respect it deserves. Here too the film does not put down Swarna just becuase she aspires for something materialistic. In the same way, someone who is shown as being disloyal in a relationship is allowed to break down to tears and isn't painted a monster to arrive at a convenient climax. The dialogues are pretty much like everyday conversations. The film never takes the tone of preaching but you do get a lot of lessons on life. The Murthy-Radha relationship so easily puts across the fact that when you are in love, compatibility is bound to follow. They both might not agree with each other on a whole lot of things including the concept of God. But this never comes in between them or rather it actually gives them more fodder to have a banter at each other. Murthy compares Radha's visit to the temple to shopping at a supermarket. But here again the director is not taking sides on their beliefs.

The music is soothing and the cinematography is exquisite. Whenever Tarun travels in his car, there are these shots from a birds eyeview. Unlike most films, these shots aren't cut abruptly but they keep lingering on the screen for a while. And this keeps happening through the film. This probably is the filmmaker saying to us - "In life we forget to savour the moments of our journey and are only mindful of the destinations. The journey is actually what is life and so savour it.". This is a film that is definitely realistic but also has an auro that gives it a certain surreal feel. Or is it that we all have become so mechanical that something that actually breathes life feels surreal?

The film is leisurely paced and that seems deliberate. The scene where Tarun actually speaks to his former self when we presume something else and the reference to the Hindi film 'Queen' which in a way mirrors Tanya's current situation are smart ideas from the director. The reveal during the climax too works and none of this ever comes across as forced into the narrative. Diganth Manchale as Tarun is very good. Tarun is a confident youngster who is quite sure about what he wants in life, he is also worried about the immediate future of his business and then he also is in a phase where he is falling for a girl. Diganth Manchale quite nicely balances these emotions and is superbly subtle. Pooja Devariya fits in easily as Tanya. As someone who is trying to heal a personal loss and at the same time willing to fight it out and look at the brighter side, she makes Tanya endearing. Equally good is the rest of the cast.

Bottomline:

Katheyondu Shuruvagide is a celebration of love in its most unfussy form. Senna Hegde never preaches but there is every chance that you look at life a little differently after a screening of his Katheyondu Shuruvagide

Rating:3.5/5

PS: I caught this film with subtitles in Chennai this weekend. Hope people outside Karnataka who love good cinema get more access to this beautiful film.