The film 'Sapta Sagaradaache Ello: Side B' begins with a light pace, introducing the revamped Manu and his past personalities. However, it feels heavier and emotionally laden, dampening the original creativity. In spite of this, the film is still worth seeing because of its excellent music, cinematography and superb performances.
Gist of the Story
Manu needs to make a great effort to return to his previous life and face his prior demons. Will he be successful in his new endeavor to find happiness and love again? Will he and Priya be reunited?
| Directed by | Hemanth M. Rao |
|---|---|
| Written by | Gundu Shetty Hemanth M. Rao |
| Produced by | Rakshit Shetty |
| Starring | Rakshit Shetty Rukmini Vasanth Chaithra J. Achar |
| Cinematography | Advaitha Gurumurthy |
| Edited by | Sunil S. Bharadwaj |
| Music by | Charan Raj |
| Production company | Paramvah Studios |
Detailed Plot
After spending a decade in prison, Manu, played by Rakshit Shetty, is eager to see his old flame Priya, portrayed by Rukmini Vasanth, upon returning to society amidst the pandemic. His most cherished memento from his past life is an aged cassette tape. Along his journey, Manu encounters Surabhi, a sex worker played by Chaitra J Achar, and tries to see traces of Priya in her. His former inmate, Prakasha (Gopal Krishna Deshpande), offers to help him start afresh. Although through Surabhi’s persistent insistence that she is not Priya, Manu begins to feel a unique bond with her. Regardless, his desire is to ensure Priya is living the fulfilling life she had always dreamt of. Manu develops a deep curiosity about her and takes it upon himself to learn every detail about her life. Realizing that she’s leading a simple yet rather gloomy existence, Manu consciously chooses to go the extra mile. He aims to help her discover love, joy, light and, importantly, her own voice. But can Manu manage this without overstepping boundaries?
Artistes’ Performances
Rakshit Shetty takes center stage in Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, seamlessly slipping into the shoes of Manu. His versatility is clearly visible and he breathes life into the character, making it strikingly realistic. Chaitra J. Achar breaks boundaries with her portrayal of a sex worker, infusing a daring new depth into the storyline. Her captivating expressions effortlessly narrate the tale and her character feels like a breath of fresh air. Even though Rukmini Vasanth’s Priya becomes a bit more subdued this time around, she still sparkles throughout the movie. In contrast, Gopal Deshpande’s portrayal of Prakasha is successful even if it doesn’t give him much room to maneuver.
Direction / Technical Side
The film kicks off at a leisurely pace, acquainting the viewer with the revamped Manu and personalities from his past and present life. Side B immediately spells out its objectives, quickly finds its footing, and then smoothly steers all the characters towards the fulfilling conclusion they rightly deserve. The movie’s feel differs significantly from the first one. ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Ello Side A’ had a light, airy feel to it that really drew you in with its charming, small moments. However, somewhat unexpectedly, ‘Side B’ feels significantly weightier, perhaps intentionally so by the director. It seems laden with emotional undertones that made it seem dense. Consequently, the inherent creativity and inventiveness of the new movie feels dampened under its own weight, which is a bit unfortunate.
Following the break, the storyline begins to drag and becomes somewhat predictable, culminating in a gruesome murder that was somewhat expected. The sweet love story that we began with takes a sharp left turn at the climax, suddenly falling into the realm of blockbuster films where the hero stands off against an army of a hundred. It feels a bit excessive, but there’s no question that this entire scene is absolute candy for Rakshit Shetty’s fans. Charan Raj, the composer, Advaitha Gurumurthy, the cinematographer, and Sunil S. Bharadwaj, the co-editor cooperating with Hemanth, are all doing an impeccable job in their respective roles.
Sapta Sagaradaache Ello: Side B does offer many exquisite moments, but its main drawback is the overly narrow focus. There’s an intense spotlight on the lead character’s internal struggles, to the extent that the rest of the cast feels superfluous. Side B was indeed meant to be more fervent and heated than Side A, but the issue doesn’t lie with the film’s mood or ambience. Instead, Hemanth M. Rao’s approach to poetic justice seems slightly amiss here.
Verdict;
The film ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Ello: Side B’ begins with a light pace, introducing the revamped Manu and his past personalities. However, it feels heavier and emotionally laden, dampening the original creativity. The film’s main drawback is its overly narrow focus on the lead character’s internal struggles, making the rest of the cast superfluous. Despite this, the film’s strong emotional depth, outstanding performances, soundtrack, and cinematography make it an okay watch.