With death comes valuable lessons for life, and so are the brilliantly webbed stories in this anthology film helmed by five directors.
'Pentagon' is an anthology film of five stories helmed by five directors. (Supplied)
Pentagon (Kannada)
At a time when big-budget pan-Indian ventures have become an in-thing, the Kannada film industry is also witnessing experiments like Pentagon, an anthology of five different stories helmed by five directors.
The idea of Pentagon is simple but turns out to be an eye-opener in various facets of life. It still manages to entertain the audience with vital elements like a good plot and decent twists and turns; to top it up, the movie has an underlying message.
A still from ‘Pentagon’ movie. (Supplied)
Of the five stories, the first one titled Mr Goofys Cafe directed by Chandra Mohan is about the lighter side of a man who tries to kill himself.
Will he be able to get himself killed or is there a twist to it? A short but interesting tale, it talks about death and sets the plot for the rest of the tales that follow thereafter.
With crow as a metaphor that predicts the death of a character is another tag that brilliantly surfaces at the right moment in Pentagon. However, the computer-generated crow gives the impression of a cartoon merged inside the scene rather than making it look like a real-life crow.
Next is the tale of a retired school teacher who loves eating “Mysore Pak” sold at a particular sweet mart. However, the shop is situated far away from his place.
Directed by Akash Srivtasa, the story portrays how older generations are treated by their younger lot. There is a higher meaning to it than just a simple wish to eat what one likes. Pentagon shifts the gear with a serious note on life.
The theme song of our movie Pentagon is out now! Presenting you “The Theme of Pentagon” – a haunting melody.#release_on_april_7th#pentagonmovie. The theme song of our movie Pentagon is out now! Presenting you “The Theme of Pentagon” –https://t.co/UeiSFyjWLW pic.twitter.com/ZNSDta4c1o
— Guru Deshpande (@deshpandeguru1) April 1, 2023
The journey of the crow (symbolising death) continues with the pros and cons of using dating applications.
The next segment titled Kamaturanam Na Bhayam Na Lajja (the lustful minds have no fear or shame) is directed by Raghu Shivamogga.
It sheds light on the digital lifestyle, especially concerning youths who explore means to satisfy their sexual urges and eventually ruin their prospects.
Raghu comes up with a bold yet meaningful tale that deserves appreciation.
A still from ‘Pentagon’ Kannada film. (Supplied)
The next story is about inequality and casteism form. Titled Doni Sagali Munde Hogali (Let life move ahead), it stars Ravi Shankar and Prithik Deshpande.
This is the best of all stories in Pentagon. It revolves around how casteism and inequality have been the root cause of many evils that still exist in our society.
Director Kiran Kumar brilliantly infuses the imbalances in a heart-wrenching plot.
Finally, director Guru Deshpande’s Karma is a take on the mother tongue and the constant fight for its survival and its upliftment.
It revolves around a former don who takes the lead to fight for the Kannada language. Kishore Kumar is at his best with Pruthvi adding value to the short tale with a twist in the end.
Presented through the prisms of death (crow), Pentagon is worth watching for the underlying message about life and the decent entertainment it offers.
(Views expressed are personal.)
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