'Nanda' - lot of action, but no substance

Film: Nanda; Director: Anantha Raju; Cast: Shivaraj Kumar, Sandhya, Bhavya, Sharan, Rangayana Raghu, Avinash, Shobharaj and Sharath Lohithashwa; Music: V. Manohar; Rating: *1/2

Shivaraj Kumar's "Nanda" is the latest addition to the long list of illogical and abhorrent gangster films being made in Kannada in recent times.

The success of a few films like "Om", "Jogi", "Daasa", "Duniya" and "Gooli" has influenced a large number of young producers and directors to make gangster films. But a majority of them are badly written and directed.

"Nanda" is actually Anantha Raju's debut film, though his second directorial venture "Masth Majaa Maadi" has already released to a decent public response. But "Masth Majaa Maadi" is a remake of Hindi hit "Dhamaal", which didn't need any of Raju's creative inputs.

Raju shows his lack of imagination while writing the script of "Nanda". There is nothing fresh in the story and many of the sequences seem to be a crude take-off from similar non-Kannada films.

The movie lacks a reasonable pace, leaving audiences uninterested in parts. Raju has also failed to effectively use talented veteran artistes. Many of them have been wasted in "Nanda". Though Raju is the director, it is the fight composer whose work is seen more on screen.

The movie is about the protagonist Nanda, a self-employed youngster. He gets a canteen lease in a college and is much liked by students and teachers alike. He is always referred to as 'senior' by college students who seek his advise on academic and non-academic matters.

And then comes the romantic angle when Kavya, a college student, falls for Nanda's charms.

Meanwhile, Nanda helps his friend marry Kavya's elder sister, which leads him to a confrontation with the city's police commissioner. Despite opposition from Kavya's parents, Nanda wants to marry her.

The police commissioner plans to kill Nanda and even puts him behind bars on false charges. Finally, an enraged Nanda treads the violent path to kill all the villains.

Shivaraj Kumar has very little to perform in emotional sequences, but he looks extremely fit and dynamic in the song and fight sequences. But for Sandhya, who has proved her talent in many Tamil films, "Nanda" proves to be a disastrous entry into Kannada movies.

Ramesh Babu's photographic work is good, but V. Manohar has composed ordinary tunes for the film.

"Nanda" is strictly for action lovers who are willing to endure a torturous narration to see a few good fight sequences.