Mast Maja Maadi - Vijay Raghavendra, Diganth Hit Movie

Film: “Mast Maja Maadi”; Director: Anantha Raju; Cast: Sudeep, Jennifer, Vijaya Raghavendra, Diganth, Komal, Nag Kiran, Rangayaana Raghu and Umashree; Music: Balajee; Rating: ** “Mast Maja Maadi” is another remake that joins the long list of this year’s Kannada film releases. It is essentially a rehash of 2007 Hindi film “Dhamaal” made by director Indra Kumar.

Though “Dhamaal” was a senseless slapstick comedy, it was enjoyable because of its one liners and brilliant performances by the actors. Unfortunately in the Kannada version, the dialogues lack the much-needed punch and the narration is weakened by slipshod editing and pedestrian re-recording.

The film has many funny moments and the song picturised in Bangkok is really good. The sequences where the four protagonists, who were thick friends, quarrel with each other in their attempts to get the booty stand out.

Coming to the negative points, the performances of the artists in the film are uneven. Sudeep shows total disinterest in his role, while actors like Diganth and Nag Kiran don’t do a great job. Even seasoned artists like Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu fail to enliven the film.

The much-hyped special item song featuring Upendra and 12 heroines enthuses the audience in the beginning, but falls flat by the end because it is badly picturised.

“Mast Maja Maadi” is the story of four good-for-nothing, unemployed youngsters in search of treasure hidden in a place in Ooty’s Botanical Gardens. Apart from them, a cop is also eyeing the treasure. The youngsters’ attempts to get the treasure all to themselves and the hurdles they face in their mission form the crux of the story.

Vijaya Raghavendra and Komal have shown better comedy timing in the film and they act well. Surprisingly, a better performer like Sudeep looks too subdued and his disinterest in the movie becomes apparent in many sequences. Rangayana Raghu overacts and veteran comedy artists like Sadhu Kokila and Umashri have very little to do in the film.

The title song and the number “Chori Chori” are catchy, but music director Balaji should have been better in his re-recording work. M.R. Seenu’s camera work is ordinary.

“Mast Maja Maadi” has some enjoyable moments, but it could have been better handled better by the director.