MadhaGaja Movie Review: A mass entertainer high on emotions

Manipulating the audience’s emotions using a clever narrative is not rare in cinemas, but the success of such films lies in the way it connects with the viewers. MadhaGaja succeeds greatly in making that connection. Director S Mahesh Kumar gives emotionally rich scenes that are relatable.  With an emotional story of a mom and son at the core, he has come up with a film that is also high on violence that is balanced out by romance and a bit of humour.

The film follows Surya (Sriimurali), an orphan, who makes a living as a real estate agent in Varanasi. He also earns some quick buck on the dead people that end up in the cremation ghat. Surya wants to rule the area, but a litigation case lands him and his friend (Chikkanna) in Shivagaada, a village in Karnataka. He finds his roots, and how he gets back his identity amid all the bloodshed is what MadhaGaja is about.

Director Mahesh, who made his debut with a love story Ayogya, needs to be applauded for the way he has handled the commercial script and for telling the story in a short run time. Kudos to Naveen Kumar’s cinematography, which treats us to excellent landscapes and delightful aerial shots.

Sriimurali, who has previously worked in a similar film, continues to impress with his performance in MadhaGaja. He excels in this mass avatar. On the other hand, Ashika has a different role to play and she brings elegance to the film as a rural belle. It is pleasant to watch Devayani as Rathnamma, who is the story’s soul. Jagapathi Babu is seen in two shades, and it’s a delight to watch the veteran actor, whenever he appears along with the lead hero. Anil as Veerabhadra and Ram as Tandava also make their presence felt.

The film sports a rich production design. Ravi Basrur has neatly designed the background and songs that suit a commercial potboiler. MadhaGaja, made on a big scale, has all the ingredients of a wholesome entertainer. The treatment and presentation will cater to mass audiences and will be a treat to Sriimurali’s fans.