Kalpana Kannada

Starring: Upendra, Saikumar, Lakshmi Rai, Shruti, Umashri, Babu Antony, Achyut Kumar, Om Prakash Rao
Director: Rama Narayanan
Producer: Sri Thenaandaal Films
Music Dir: V. Harikrishna
Lyricist: V. Nagendra Prasad
Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, V. Harikrishna, Priyadarshini, Lakshmi Vijay, Shamita Malnad, Chetan Sosca
Distributor: Sri Thenaandal Films
Genre: Comedy, Horror

Synopsis

Raghava (Upendra) lives with his mother (Umashri), his elder brother (Achyuth Rao), and his sister-in-law, Janki (Shruti) and their two children. By day he is a happy young lad who is a tough he-man, and who enjoys playing cricket with his friends, and excels when he plays. However, at night he is afraid of ghosts, and has to sleep beside his mother. One day he and his friends find that the field where they are used to playing cricket, is going to be built upon. They find another abandoned field, but it turns out to be haunted. Following this, strange things start happening at home, and there is a change in Raghava’s behaviour. He starts behaving in an effeminate way – for example, he and his mother and sister-in-law go to a shop to look at saris, and he puts one on, and acts like a woman. They confirm the presence of a ghost in their house, and two Swamis (Bullet Prakash is one of them), come to try (unsuccessfully) to exorcise the ghost. It then becomes obvious that Raghava becomes possessed at times, by the ghost of Kalpana (Sai Kumar). Eventually the mystery is unravelled of who Kalpana is.
This sounds like a typical horror movie, but there is a great deal of comedy too, and also romance. In the middle of all this, Shruti’s sister, Priya (Lakshmi Rai), comes to stay, and Raghava and she fall in love with each other.

Songs:
1. Nillu Maga Nillu Maga
2. Bayanno Bombada
3. Madana Kamaraya
4. Kolegaukana

Released Year: 2012
Running Time: 164 minutes/Colour/Kannada

Review

If you don’t like Horror Films, you will enjoy this one. If you do like Horror Films, you also will enjoy this one.

This film is described as “Comedy, Horror”. It is almost like two films in one. The first part of the film (most of the film) has a lot of comedy, and the antics of everyone in what one could describe as a “Mock Horror”, with everyone contributing to the comedy – but especially Upendra, Shruti and Urmashri. Lakshmi Rai is convincing as the heroine.

“Nillu Maga Nillu Maga” is a song sung and danced energetically by Upendra and all the local lads, including disabled friends, outside a shopping precinct, in which he tells everyone not to be afraid. “Bayanno Bombada” has Raghava, on a picnic, dancing with two pretty girls to try to make Priya jealous. His mother and Janki join in the fun, and all the local lads. The dance has the desired effect on Priya, who slaps Raghava’s cheek. But the slap is followed by a kiss on the cheek, and a declaration of her love, to the delight of Raghava, his mother and Janki! “Madana Kamaraya” is a love song, with Radhava and Priya in a variety of stage and outdoor settings, and with a number of male and female dancers, all in a variety of different costumes – all very colourful. “Kolegaukana” is sung by Kalpana and her friends.

The second part of the film is when it is revealed who Kalpana is, and this is the part of the film that is more like a typical horror film without the comedy. If you are not Indian, or do not know about Indian culture and society, there is a character description that you might not understand – but just continue to watch and enjoy the film, then look it up on Internet afterwards.

3 stars

Rating: [3 of 5 Stars!]