Kannad Gothilla - if you are a Kannadiga, you may have heard this from people who cannot speak or understand Kannada. If you are a non-Kannadiaga residing in Bengaluru, you may have uttered this at some point in your life.
Kannad Gothilla itself comes in two tones. One, an honest, somewhat apologetic admission by non-Kannadigas, implying that they are trying to learn the language, and the other is the arrogant tone, expressing the carefree "chalta hai" attitude that's especially prevalent among Hindi speakers. The latter has become the reason for the clarion call #Kannadagottu. South Indians have forever been resisting Hindi imposition, and anything perceived as an insult to south Indian languages is taken very seriously.
But, can one go on a killing spree for the sake of language? Eight non-Kannadigas are found murdered in different locations across the city, and there’s only one common thread – they have all travelled in a cab owned by Manjunath (Dharmanna). Harshavardhan (Mayura Raghavendra) is put on the job to solve the case. As he makes no headway, a top cop (Sudharani) assigns special officer Shruthi Chakravarty (Hariprriya) for the case. While she decides to take the road less travelled to solve the case, it leads her back to the police station itself. So, who is the real culprit?
Kannad Gothilla is Hariprriya’s one-woman show and the actor, as Malashree 2.0, is a treat to watch. She had played a similar role in her 25th Kannada film D/O Parvathamma. Hence, she doesn’t spring any surprises here. Kannad Gothilla is more like an extended version of the film. The same-old low-angle shots during investigation sequences, similar and clichéd costumes hint at a very stereotypical filmmaking pattern.
Dharmanna, Pavan (as Soma), Mahantesh, Sudharani and Mayura Raghavendra have limited roles and you can’t expect much from them. Pavan’s comedy is monotonous. The music leaves no mark.
The director’s intention to set a crime thriller in the backdrop of language love is hard to digest. The dots are difficult to connect, as many may not agree with the idea of using the language issue for a script like this one. At the end of the film, one is baffled about what it intended to say. If any movie must win an award for the worst climax sequence this year, it has to be Kannad Gothilla.
The movie is predictable and evokes no language passion whatsoever. Yes, there is plenty of ‘If Kannadigas themselves don’t speak the language, how can you expect it from others’ moments. But all of it fails to impress. Kannadigas are known for welcoming people of different languages and cultures with open arms. The movie’s message seems to be giving out the opposite vibes. The thin line between the love for language and linguistic chauvinism has been a bone of contention among many from years. But all said and done, Bengaluru has forever been a cosmopolitan city. A recent survey had even revealed that 40 percent of the people in Karnataka are multi-lingual.
Many Kannada film directors are of the opinion that remakes don’t work here, as most people are bilingual and may have already seen the movie in the original language. Yes, Kannada in Bengaluru has forever ‘faced the threat’, if one has to put it that way. But, move a little out of Bengaluru and it is all ‘Kannada’ everywhere. It is the same case in all other cosmopolitan cities - from New York to Mumbai to Bengaluru. Most people residing in border towns, in any state for that matter, are bilingual.
Overall, Kannad Gothilla leaves a lot to be desired. It's neither a good crime thriller nor a flag-bearer of language love.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.