'Excuse Me' exceeds all expectations - Kannada Top Films

Bangalore, July 17 (IANS): "Excuse Me" tops the list of Kannada films. Here are the top five:

1) "Excuse Me": The film was expected to be an average performer when it was released in the first week of last December. But it is still going strong after completing 220 days at the box office.

Trade pundits expect it to run for at least 50 more days. The continuous publicity over the last 32 weeks has helped the film, which is reported to be doing well even in the interiors. "Excuse Me" is the second directorial venture of Prem. His first film "Kariya" was also a success.

2) "Baa Baaro Rasika": Analysts argue that the film's success is due to the Ramya Krishna factor. The film, made on a relatively small budget, opened well and the audiences are still supporting the film.

The way the songs have been shot is one of the main reasons for the film's success.

3) "Monalisa": Journalist Indrajith Lankesh, who tasted failure in his first two attempts, has struck gold with his third. The film has completed 70 days at many centres and is heading for 100 days in a few others.

Indrajith has now decided to make the film in Telugu, as the heroine of the film, Sada, is popular in Andhra Pradesh. She has also been acting in Tamil films and, if the film is dubbed in Tamil, it could be expected to do sizable business.

4) "Kanti": There are no big stars in this film released last week, but it has opened so well that its first week collections may well match those featuring superstars. The film's problem with the censors might have created an interest among fans.

If the film continues its success saga in the next three to four weeks, it will prove that both Murali and Ramya, the leading pair, are a draw at the box office. This is Ramya's fourth successful Kannada film.

5) "Love": The major attraction of the film is its hero, Audithya. The film, however, is handicapped by a weak story and a tardy narration. Had it been made as a breezy entertainer, it would have fared still better.

The Telugu version of "Love", titled "Premnagar", is to be released two or three weeks later. "Love" could have received a much greater response if it had not been released with another youth oriented film, "Kanti".