Almost four years after his previous release, legendary filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrashekar is back with an offering to the silver screen. ‘Meshtru’, with this film, also returns to his favorite forte – that of exploring the emotions of a ‘Kannadiga’ when thrown into a foreign land. This time though, he has widened his canvas and has brought the ‘NRI’ angle into his story as well.
‘India Vs England’ made its way to theatres this Friday and here is a short review of the same.
The elements of a Nagathihalli Film
As seen in movies like ‘America America’ and ‘Nanna Preethiya Huduga’, Nagathihalli has stuck with his trademark elements in this film as well. The lives of NRI’s & the shift in traditions that have brought the change in their lifestyle, all of this becomes interesting when told through Kannadiga characters. Of course, London’s beauty is showcased which sugarcoat the proceedings.
Plot
Essentially, this movie is the juxtaposing of two storylines. One is that of the love-story between Vasishta and Manvitha while the other is about smuggling, with Ananth Nag playing a crucial role in both of them. While the love-story is mainly dependent on opinions and ideas of a ‘British Kannadiga’ & and ‘Indian Kannadathi’, the smuggling angle brings a lot of discussions about British colonization and the freedom struggle in general.
How both these stories run parallelly and intersect at the climax forms the crux of the plot.
The Performances
The lead characters, played by Vasishta & Manvitha look convincing and keep us entertained. Both the talented actors slide easily into their roles and help the audience settle fast into the story. They are backed by an experienced star-cast, comprising the likes of Ananth Nag, Sumalatha, Prakash Belawadi, and Sadhu Kokila, all of whom have essayed their roles to perfection.
Final Verdict
Nagathihalli Chandrashekar has tried his best to appeal to all the sections of the audience while also retaining his style of filmmaking. While the fans of the director would enjoy the movie, for the others, ‘India Vs England’ could be a worthwhile watch for its decent storyline and excellent lead pair.
