Film: Breaking News (Kannada)
Director: Nagathihalli Chandrashekar
Cast: Ajay Rao, Radhika Pandit, Anant Nag, Rangayana Raghu, Arun Sagar
Media is a part and parcel of our day to day lives and it is this very phenomenon that director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar cashes in on his just released, Breaking News. The film that brings back together Radhika Pandit and Ajay Rao centres on media houses which compete with each other to be the first ones to break news to the world. The hero of the film, Arjun (Ajay) is a reporter with a leading television channel. He is a storehouse of ideas, only his boss doesn’t think that these ideas will do any good to up the viewership of the channel. With no choice but to compromise on his principles and news sensibilities, Arjun goes on a hunt for sensational news. Does he succeed?
We will refrain from saying what happens next simply because the drama that unfolds is not something that you cannot guess yourself anyway. The story runs around the illegal land denotification issue, which is also done to death. The film targets corrupt politicians — the most obvious reference being to tainted former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and his family, spiritual gurus and the breaking news hungry media. Yes, the team gets the media jargon right, only the plot fails to establish anything new or interesting with them.
What further comes as a blow is Ajay’s performance. While he looks the part, his enthusiasm and attitude fail to match that of a reporter’s. His Krrish act is also comical rather than heroic.
Radhika Pandit manages to add life to the plot though. Anant Nag does just ice to his Lokayukta act, as well. Rangayana Raghu and Arun Sagar make you laugh in the last few minutes but that’s about it. Dialogues pack some punch but the songs are more of a distraction. The film contrary to its title brings nothing new with it nor does it make an impact. If anything it leaves you disappointed, more so as it comes from someone like Chandrashekar. We’d rather you watch the 'Breaking News’ on TV!
