'Taakat' - just another predictable action flick (Kannada Film Review)

Film: 'Taakat'; Director: M.S.Ramesh; Starring: Vijay, Shubha Poonja, Rangayana Raghu, Avinash, Shobharaj, Sanketh Kashi and Mandya Ramesh; Music: Guru Kiran; Rating *

Dialogue writer-director M.S. Ramesh has tried to play it safe with 'Taakat' after his last year's 'Beladingalaagi Baa' starring Vijaya Raghavendra did not get a good response. But unfortunately, 'Taakat' just starts and ends as an ordinary action film and nothing else.

The film has a story line of a bygone era and even the narrative doesn't have a contemporary touch. The net effect is that the audience will be made to see a film that may well remind you of a film made in the early 1970s.

Vijay has certainly acquired an action image with films like 'Duniya', 'Chanda' and 'Junglee'. But he needs to be extremely cautious in taking up projects mainly because audiences expect something more from him after he proved his acting skills in 'Duniya', which got him the best actor award from the state government, and critically-appreciated movie 'Slum Bala'.

Vijay's previous film 'Junglee' by director Soori became a surprise hit despite the lack of story content mainly because of the good music and down to earth dialogues. But 'Taakat' does not have the advantage of great songs though the dialogues are good in parts.

Ramesh has managed to get a big star cast for the film, which includes many experienced veterans. But except for Avinash, the other artists are just ordinary.

The film is set in a rural background and most of the sequences are predictable.

The main lacuna of 'Taakat' is that it doesn't have any novelty in the storyline. Hundreds of Kannada films would have the same story element of a poor hero wooing a rich girl. Every single twist in the story is easy to predict.

Ramesh may well argue that he undertook a stereotyped story because of Vijay's image and his appeal in small towns. But the situation has changed enormously and now films like 'Taakat' may look unconvincing even in Villages.

'Taakat' revolves around an orphan and bus cleaner Basya, who enjoys the confidence of passengers and his team of drivers and conductors. And Bhageerathi is the daughter of the rich village head. Basya is always ready to help people and this is what attracts Bhageerathi to him.

But Bhageerathi's father Singarappa and uncle Veerabhadra are unhappy with their relationship. Basya is even attacked by Veerabhadra. A defiant Basya challenges Singarappa that he will marry Bhageerathi. How he turns the tables on Singarappa and his brother forms the rest of the story.

Vijay is capable of doing a better job and he really deserves a better role. His performance in 'Taakat' is just ordinary though some of his dialogues are good. As usual he shines in action sequences.

Shubha Poonja showed her acting talent in 'Moggina Manasu', but in 'Taakat' her performance is average as her characterisation is weak. Most of the other actors fail to impress.

Guru Kiran has given some of his best numbers in M.S. Ramesh's earlier films, but he has failed to come out with reasonably good numbers for 'Taakat', though the song 'Kannambadi Kannambadi' is hummable.

'Taakat' ends up as a weak film with a predictable storyline and narration.