Title – Guri, Producers – Radhika S.R., Chitralekha S, Director, Screenplay, Cinematography – Selvam Madhappan, Music – Palani D. Senapathi, Cast – Master Mahanadhi, Master Jeevith, Achyuth Kumar, Jayasri, Ugram Manju, Babu Hirannaiah, Chandraprabha, T.S. Nagabharana, Avinash, Sandeep Malani, Madan Mohan, and others.
“Guri” and “Guru” – both are essential to flourish in life! While this may not be a quote from any philosopher, the film Guri makes this point with clarity and conviction. Director Selvam Madhappan, who also handles the cinematography and screenplay, demonstrates great dexterity in this 2-hour 8-minute Kannada children’s film that unfolds with multiple layers.
Guri possesses all the elements of a high-quality Kannada film and stands strong as a contender for various awards. We’ve seen many films that spotlight children and their connection to Kannada-medium schools. However, Guri takes a different, more poignant path. Selvam crafts a thoughtful script and assembles a cast of highly talented actors to highlight the urgent need to preserve government Kannada schools in Karnataka.
One of the film’s standout ideas is that even a single student should be enough reason to keep a government Kannada school open. This powerful message reflects the height of the director’s vision.
The strength of the film lies in its exceptional performances. Complementing the narrative is a well-timed and catchy song, Baaro Thimma, Baaro Thamma…, composed by Palani D. Senapathi, which adds emotional depth.
The story revolves around the Terehalli Betta Kuppalli government Kannada school, where an honest teacher manages a single classroom catering to students from classes 1 to 4. Out of 16 students, 12 are lured away by the private school mafia, pushing the school toward closure. The film also takes bold turns, touching upon corruption and even subtle hints of international organ trafficking woven into the plot.
The story centers on Subbu and Sharan, two bright children of poor parents (played convincingly by Jayasri and Ugram Manju), who face the harsh reality of losing access to education. Despite their pleas to the honest teacher, they find no relief. Realizing that only the Chief Minister can save their school, the determined siblings elope from their remote village to Bengaluru in search of help.
Their journey is filled with hardships, but their determination gains momentum when the head of a television news channel sees their struggle as the perfect story to spotlight. What happens next? The rest is best experienced on the silver screen.
Master Mahanadhi and Master Jeevith deliver natural, heartwarming performances. Comedy child actor Thimmesh brings moments of levity. Jayasri and Ugram Manju’s pairing is emotionally powerful. T.S. Nagabharana and Avinash contribute strong, dignified performances. Achyuth Kumar, as the school teacher, is outstanding and certainly award-worthy.
Director Selvam, already a celebrated cinematographer, ensures nothing is lacking in the visual storytelling. His direction is equally commendable, reflecting deep emotional insight and social responsibility.
Guri is well-crafted, socially relevant, and emotionally compelling. It truly deserves the audience’s full attention and appreciation.