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K M Chaitanya's film Balaramana Dinagalu is an edgy sequel to his hit gangster drama Aa Dinagalu (2007).
Together, the two films paint a picture of the mafia that ruled Bengaluru in the 1970s and '80s.
Santosh Narayanan, known for many blockbuster scores in Tamil cinema, debuts in Kannada with Balaramana Dinagalu, now showing at theatres across Karnataka.
He delivers a score rich in rock sounds, with many rousing moments. The electric guitar leads the sound track, while the songs lean towards folk and street sounds.
Successful gangster dramas explore the circumstances that go into the making of criminals. Balaramana Dinagalu shows the protagonist, Balaramana, as a youth in search of work who inadvertently strays into the world of crime.
Vinod Prabhakar, son of 'Tiger' Prabhakar who starred in innumerable Kannada films of the 1980s and '90s, plays the lead. Priya Anand plays his love interest. The cast carries the narrative forward confidently. The film begins with a disclaimer that all events are imaginary, but the parallels with the criminal world of pre-liberalisation Bengaluru is obvious, and can't be missed.
The album features seven songs. Shuru shuru, by Sanchit Hegde and Punya Selva, is a romantic number by Jayant Kaikini. Tata tata, with lyrics by Nagendra Prasad, is sung energetically by Santhosh Narayanan to the beats of the tamate and other folk percussion instruments, and is reminiscent of his street-style songs for Madras (2014).
Quarterru, an 'item number' sung by Sanjana Kalmanje, falls into the overcrowded space of songs celebrating drinking and dancing in the presence of an intense, stoic hero who joins in reluctantly.
Yarilla yarilla is a rap number, with a brooding chorus backing, sung by All OK. It marks the entry of Balarama into don Jayaram's gang.
As far as the story goes, Ashish Vidyarthi looks suitably intense in his godfather Jayaram avatar. It is not difficult to guess that his character is based on the life and times of M P Jayaraj, the don who enjoyed the support of the Devaraj Urs dispensation. Jayaram is portrayed as a self-aware criminal who takes on the police and helps the poor. He is eventually convinced to contest elections.
The gangs battle for spoils–they collect protection money from clubs, dance bars and brothels. Balaramana Dinagalu suggests that their moral high ground is built on a philosophy of taking from the morally decadent, and not exploiting the extremely poor, which the police and politicians do. But that manic moment when Jayaram wants to bomb a police parade and self-annihilate his gang hints at the volatile mental health of mafia overlords. The film also delves into how mafia power and loyalties keep shifting.
Ramesh Indira’s Monappa Rai, a throwback to Muthappa Rai who is said to have brought in gun culture to Bengaluru's gang wars, is slick and quietly menacing. Going by the personal accounts of retired police officers, almost all the incidents depicted in the film have parallels in real life.
The fights are choreographed brilliantly, with the soda bottle attack on a rival gang being pure period drama. The sharp editing by Haridoss KGF, a stalwart of long standing in Chaitanya's team, ensures there is no dull moment. The recreation of the Bengaluru of five decades ago is a challenge that the art director Vishwas Kashyap's team has tackled with considerable success. Director of photography H C Venu's filters bring back memories of a bygone era, especially in the fight and chase sequences.
Chaitanya bases his story and screenplay on incidents that hit the headlines five decades ago, and this is a gangster drama that stands out from the KGF genre with its avoidance of punchlines. The same restraint is evident all through the dialogues. although some exchanges, such as the one between Monappa Rai and Shashidhar (Amit Kulkarni) sparkle with wit and humour.
Some questions remain unanswered. Balarama is portrayed as a gangster with extraordinary combat skills and noble intentions. Where did he pick up his fighting skills if he came from a small village near Hassan? Who shaped his moral compass? Taking of gangster dramas, Nayagan worked and Thug Life didn’t because the former was concerned with questions of justice and fair play while the latter treated crime as a fun outing. Many films sink when style hijacks substance.
The electric guitar-driven music scored by Santhosh Narayanan (SaNa to fans), though not native to the location in that era, stylises the proceedings and adds to the grittiness of the storytelling. Nayagan and Godfather have distinctive themes for their protagonists. Perhaps by design, Balaramana Dinagalu is short of such instantly recognisable themes.
Going forward, Vinod would do well to develop more nuance. He looks tough but also needs to look vulnerable when the situation calls for it. Priya Anand is convincing as a colonel’s daughter whose life decisions are guided by the right vs wrong struggles unfolding around her. The casting works consistently across characters.
Balaramana Dingaluu, produced by Parvathi Jayaram and Shreyas and now showing at theatres across India, is a worthy addition to Chaitanya's best work.
Listen to songs from Balaramana Dinagalu.
