Title: Brat, Producer: Manjunath V. Kandakur, Story and Direction: Shashank, Music: Arjun Janya, Cinematography: Abhilash Kalathi, Cast: Darling Krishna, Manisha Kandakur, Achyuth Kumar, Ramesh Indira, Dragon Manju, Manasi Sudhir, and others.
The Dolphin Entertainment’s Manjunath V. Kandakur has mastered the art of choosing the right subject and delivering it effectively on the silver screen, right from his first film First Rank Raju. The production house continues to bat with great confidence, offering a pukka commercial entertainer that makes it a paisa vasool experience.
In Brat, the team has presented a well-measured family entertainer with all the necessary ingredients. The only minor drawback is the film’s length. Otherwise, the narration pattern, concern for loyalty, and the theme of corruption traveling throughout the film toward a meaningful end deserve applause.
Making money is fun, but it’s pointless if you don’t use the power it brings. For the protagonist Krishna, this situation fits aptly in Brat. He questions, “How can gambling be wrong when you win this much?” For Krishna, money is God in action — a sixth sense that makes it possible to enjoy the other five.
As elders say, wealth is the product of a man’s capacity to think — and the screenplay reaches a different level in the second half. After a point, money becomes meaningless as it ceases to be the goal; the game itself is what counts for Krishna, alias Kristy and his friends.
Director Shashank displays intelligence in storytelling and possesses a convincing ability to engage commercial film viewers who seek pure entertainment, while also being knowledgeable enough to educate through cinema.
Krishna (Darling Krishna) dreams of becoming a cricketer. Studies are not his cup of tea. His honest father, constable Mahadevaiah (Achyuth Kumar), preaches valuable life lessons to him, but all in vain. Mahadevaiah has corrupt seniors around him, and to his shock, his son Krishna adopts the same corrupt methods to make money through betting — that too from his favorite game, cricket. Krishna firmly believes that the law punishes the poor but not the rich.
Krishna and his friends set up an office and says “Badavanagi huttodu tappalla, badavanagi sayodu thappu.” His betting center, Checkmate, irks his rival Dollar Mani’s (Dragon Manju) business. Instead of a clash, the director cleverly unites the two, providing further entertainment for the audience.
As the corrupt practices of Krishna and Dollar Mani reach their peak, Mahadevaiah hatches a plan to bring down the corruption. Will he succeed? What happens when the CBI enters the scene? How Krishna showcases his skills forms an interesting part of the screenplay. At times, the audience may be reminded of the Hindi film Special 26, starring Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher.
Darling Krishna delivers a cakewalk performance in this kind of role. He shines in action, romance, and dialogue delivery. His height and looks also make him a favorite among female fans.
Manisha Kandakur looks pretty and, with more polish in acting, has the potential to sustain a long career in tinsel town. Ramesh Indira impresses, while Dragon Manju speaking English wins the hearts of mass audiences. Achyuth Kumar, as constable Mahadevaiah, maintains his steady and strong acting skills — at times making one wonder who else could have done the role better.
Arjun Janya, the music composer with over a hundred films to his credit, delivers a lilting duet “Naane Nannanthe…” and a peppy item number “Gangi Gangi…,” sung by new singer Balu Belagundi.
Abhilash Kalathi, continuing his journey with the talented director Shashank, provides a visual feast. The cinematography stands out as another redeeming feature, adding richness throughout the film.
Overall, Brat is a worth-watching entertainer, well-dosed with elements of love, loyalty, corruption, action, and sentiment.