'Nodidavaru Enantare' is over two hours in length, but the pacing of the film could be something that people might want to look into if their cup of tea has films that are edgy stories with fast cuts and loads of action.
A poster of the film 'Nodidavaru Enantare'. (X)
There has been much curiosity surrounding Nodidavaru Enantare, which stars Naveen Shankar in the lead role.
The trailer was novel, and people were intrigued by Naveen’s physical transformation in this film directed by Kuldeep Cariappa. One could guess that the film would be about soulful self-discovery, and it is indeed that.
Nodidavaru Enantare is over two hours in length, but the pacing of the film could be something that people might want to look into if their cup of tea has films that are edgy stories with fast cuts and loads of action.
Here, the filmmaker has chosen to ruminate with the emotions to ensure one gets to feel with Siddharth, the protagonist.
This very quality works as both the film’s strength and at times its weakness. There are times when one feels that tighter reins were holding on to the way the narrative played out in certain scenes. But, the film does have enough great moments that ensure the momentum is not lost for too long.
A still from the film ‘Nodidavaru Enantare’. (X)
A young techie protagonist who seems to have it all and yet has nothing going for him —that is how one could best describe Siddharth.
Fresh from a two-month-old break-up, his life is a mess. He loses his opportunity to settle in Toronto for an onsite opportunity and also cannot seem to move on from his heartbreak. A personal tragedy at this time derails his life further.
Nodidavaru Enantare is about how 28-year-old Siddharth comes of age through the help of the most uncommon co-passengers in his journey to finding belongingness.
There are some of the staple tropes of a hero travelling in the most unorganised modes of travel that one has seen in such films, but they don’t seem out of place in this narrative.
One of the highlights of Nodidavaru Enantare is the apt casting and the performances given by everyone, be it in a small role or big one. Of course, Naveen leads the way with an author-backed role that he soaks his teeth into and delivers all that is needed from him.
Naveen Shankar in ‘Nodidavaru Enantare’. (X)
Be it his physical transformation or the nuances in his dubbing style through his journey, everything is commendable.
Apoorva Bharadwaj looks great and has such a natural ease in front of the camera, as she plays one of the two major catalysts who changes the way the protagonist thinks.
The other women characters, be it Sonu Gowda in her cameo as the ex or Ayra Krishna in her role as the intern crushing on her boss, also deliver what is expected of them.
It is a treat to see Padmavathi Rao on screen in Kannada after long and she delivers a power-packed performance in her extended cameo. The others, including the young child actor, are also noteworthy.
The film has some beautiful dialogue. The scenes between Apoorva and Naveen, as well as the child actor and Naveen are both highlights, along with the climax sequence featuring Padmavathi Rao.
The dialogues in all of these show the way the writing team has paid heed to different situations and delivered lines mindful of those.
The cinematography and background score also are very novel and play almost an equal role in Nodidavaru Enantare to the cast. Kuldeep deserves applause for a commendable outing in his first full-length feature.
Nodidavaru Enantare is a film that is well worth an outing if your dose of cinema includes stories that play out at their own pace with enough time for you to observe little nuances and details.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)
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