Neelakanta

Starring: Ravichandran, Namitha, Sridevika, Lamboo Nagesh, Sujatha, Umashri, Seetha, Vijayakashi, Sankesh Kashi,
Sadhu Kokila, Malavalli Saikrishna, Avinash, Ramesh Bhat
Director: Om Sai Prakash
Producer: M.K. Balamuttiah
Music Dir: V. Ravichandran
Lyricist: V. Ravichandran, Radhanath Mohapatra, Archana Das, Damodar Das, Subhransu Satpathy, Srinibas Misgra
Singers: Santilata Barik Chhotray,
Distributor: Sri Ganesh
Genre: Romance, Drama

Remake of Aranmanai Kili Tamil
Remake of Manasunna Maaraaju Telugu

Synopsis
Neelakanta (Ravichandran) works as the Caretaker for a rich family who live in a palatial house. Gauri (Namitha) is a girl, whose parents died when she was young, and who has been brought up by her uncle, Subbaiah Gowda, whose brother was her father: he is regarded with high esteem in the village. She is in love with Neelakanta, but he does not think of her that way, because she is so rich and he is so poor. One day, Neelakanta has to go to the city for work.
In the city lives a girl, Ganga (Sujatha). Her mother runs a brothel, where she lives, but Ganga is totally unaware of what is going on. One day, her mother decides to sell her to a rich business-man (Avinash) from Dubai for Rs. 9 lakhs. However, the girls in the brothel encourage and help Ganga to run away one night. She is chased by her mother and the men who work for her. She hides where Neelakanta is working, and when her pursuers come on the scene, she tells him her story, which her mother denies. However, Neelakanta believes Ganga’s story, and saves her from the men who are trying to take her by force. He takes her back to the village, where he asks his mother’s sister to look after her, as it would be improper for a young single girl to be looked after by his mother, Parvati, in the house where he lived. Parvati soon finds out about Ganga, and decides that she wants her for a daughter-in-law. She has promised that Neelakanta will stay as caretaker in the mansion, to look after Gauri until she is married. Her uncle arranges a marriage for Gauri, but she does not want it, as she loves Neelakanta. At the wedding, she refuses to let the groom her uncle has arranged tie the mangalsutra, and goes to Neelakanta, and tells everyone she loves him, and she will marry only him. Her uncle pleads with Neelakanta to accept Gauri as his wife, to save the family honour, which he does.
However, unknown to Neelakanta, his mother has decided that he should marry the same day as Gauri, and has arranged everything for him to marry Ganga. When he takes his bride, Gauri home, he finds that everything is ready for his marriage with Ganga – but he tells his mother that he has already tied the mangalsutra. His mother refuses to listen to his explanation, and says that he will never see her face again while she is alive. Gauri is furiously jealous, and unjustly accuses Neelakanta of having an affair with Ganga. Thereafter she treats her husband very badly.
What can Neelakanta do? Will he ever be able to convince Gauri of his innocence? Will he ever be reconciled to his mother.? What will happen to Ganga, the girl he rescued? There are a few surprises in the rest of the film, and the ending of the film is not happy for everyone..

Songs:
1. Mella Mella Mella
2. Devaru Bareda Kathayalli-I
3. Ammamao Ammamao
4. Hennige Seere Yaake
5. Andada Gombbe Ge
6. Devaru Bareda Kathayalli-II

Released Year: 2006
Running Time: 154 minutes/Colour/Kannada

Review
This is another excellent Ravichandran film. Neelakanta is a lovely and kind man. He saves an unknown girl, Ganga, from a life of shame, and brings her back to his village for her safety, and looks after her. However, this leads to misunderstandings, as outlined in the synopsis, which takes us to halfway through the film. The second half of the film completes the story, with many unforeseen dramatic twists and turns. It is a film well worth watching.

The songs have lovely music, lovely lyrics, and lovely and varied picturisation. “Mella Mella Mella” (“He quietly stole my heart and spread sweetness in it”) is Gauri’s dream of her love of Neelakanta, with a group of well-choreographed dancers, in a variety of colourful costumes, imaginatively filmed. “Devaru Bareda Kathayalli”, with Neelakanta and Parvati, is about the love of a mother for her child. “Ammamao Ammamao” is another dream of Gauri and her love for Neelakanta, but whereas “Mella Mella Mella” was Gauri’s thoughts about Neelakanta, this song shows Neelakanta loving Gauri, again in the way she dreams. Parvati has announced to her sister, and to Ganga, that she will get Neelakanta married to Ganga, the same day as Gauri gets married. “Hennige Seere Yaake” is the love-song which is Ganga’s dream of love with Neelakanta. “Andada Gombbe Ge” is Neelakanta’s dream of a happy married life, after his wedding to Gauri – but alas, she shatters his dream.

5 stars

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]