Santa Kannada Movie
'Santha' is one more addition to the fairly long list of Kannada films which have sourced their stories to the Bangalore Underworld. Like in many of the films such as 'OM', 'Jogi', 'Deadly Soma', 'Kariya' and 'Shashtri' based on Bangalore Underworld, the hero of this film is an innocent person who has been drafted to the underworld. While films like 'OM' and 'Kariya' featured many underworld characters acting their real life roles in the film, the difference in 'Santha' is that a real life Super cop H.T.Sangliana plays the role of a commissioner of police. But for this difference, 'Santha' ends up as another run of the mill film with nothing fresh to offer in terms of treatment of the script or the story telling.
'Santha' is the story of Santhosha an innocent and hard working youngster whose aim is to earn as much money to secure a good medical treatment to his mentally challenged sisters. And he also loves the girl next door which creates lots of problems for him. He is foisted with a false case and is booked by a crook in the garb of a policeman. Then he will be troubled by another don. Santha is forced to take up arms and attack the don. He will be serving a Jail sentence where he takes an inevitable step to lead a rival underworld group. Meanwhile, a medical student loves him for his bravery and innocence. The Police commissioner advises Medical student to prevail upon Santha to surrender to the police. Finally, the film ends up in a tragic note with the love element coming into the focus in the climax.
Shivaraj Kumar has excelled in a few sentimental and action sequences. But it is Komal who has done his best in a totally different role. He was doing more comedy focused roles these days, but in Santha he has done a makeshift to do a very serious role and has really come out in a better fashion. Super Cop Sangliana has a good screen presence, and his voice has been dubbed. Out of the two heroines it is the Malayalee girl Sree Devika who is better than Arati Chabbria who comes and goes in a few sequences and in one sexy number.
Seethaaram's camera work and Guru Kiran's music are better placed factors in the film. 'Shiva Shiva' song is hummable and is better choreographed.
If you want to see something fresh and different, then 'Santha' has little to offer. But it may be a good viewing for Shivaraj Kumar's fans that are seeing an action thriller from their hero after a long time.
