ಕವಲುದಾರಿ (crossroads) Kannada movie review

Kavaludaari is a investigation / crime thriller written and directed by Hemanth Rao . Shyam (Manish Rishi) isn't content with his traffic police role and wants to move to investigation. His eagerness leads him to get involved and then obsessed with a 40 - year old case. As he digs through old case files, he begins to work with Kumar (Achyuth Kumar ) who owns an investigative newspaper and Muthanna (Industry legend Anant Nag) , a retired police officer who had investigated this case. This movie takes us through the investigation and the lives of those involved in it. I watched this movie as it was heavily recommended by wifey so top priority once again! 

Image courtesy IMDB

The introduction sequence where the characters names are shown is captivating, with it's innovative graphics. This is a visually - striking movie, and is superbly scored. Music (Charan Raj) was top - class, the highest quality, and contributes immensely to the feeling of the movie. Listen to the OST here. The investigative, flashback sequences, the effective use of drone shots, the innovative storytelling and standout performance create an atmosphere of eagerness and thrill. I loved the mood created throughout the movie. The story line might seem common but the way the movie unfolds, with the character introductions and depiction of events is what elevates this movie to a sacred pedestal. The flashbacks are a piece of art. Redolent of nostalgia from the 70's and 80's, they were presented in a brilliant way. At 2 Hr 23 minutes, the movie is a slow burn so you have to be patient. 

There is a stunning sequence in which the protagonist is going through old case files, and the subjects of the cases get up when he is going through their case, and walk out. Check it out here. There is another sequence where Rishi's obsession with the different characters in the case is shown by them becoming a part of his environment. I could watch these multiple times for the sheer beauty of the depiction. These are the things which make a movie memorable. After a decade if someone asks me what I liked about "Kavaludaari", these are what I'll speak about.  Such sequences made the movie an immersive experience. This is a movie with a lot of characters, twists and turns, and hence demands your undivided, total attention.

I want to talk about a couple of things. Madhuri (Suman Ranganath) was bewitching in her short role. Each dialogue of Anant Nag sir was weighed in gold. I loved them, absolutely. It is such a treat to watch him. There are bits of philosophy peppered throughout the movie, which make you stop and think.

Image courtesy IMDB

After the movie, I had to think a lot about the plot, and why things were shown the way they were. Any movie which makes you think is absolutely worth it. I began to think about the different personalities and why they made the choices they did. The character development for some of the main characters here  - Muthanna and Kumar is beyond par. They have their own history and circumstances with you empathize with.

This film greatly enhances the image of Sandalwood. It isn't overly reliant on big names. It works because of the way everything comes together - the direction, screenplay, music, acting and dialogues. And that is the way it should be. I'm completely psyched. We all should be. Please watch it, tell your friends and spread the word. I had a deja - vu about another movie but later I realized that isn't the case. There is no "formula" here to dumb things down. It's a well - thought out script. The last half hour is completely mind - blowing! This is when everything falls in place and the puzzle is complete. Beautifully crafted.

The only things I felt would have made this even better are:

* A slightly shorter duration.

* A more menacing antagonist. I didn't feel the forces of pure evil here. This would have catapulted the movie to a different league altogether.

(Thanks, Krips, for the insights and for proofreading ;) )