Moorane Krishnappa movie review: Rangayana Raghu, Sampath Maitreya lead rib-tickling comedy with more highs than lows

3.5/5

Moorane Krishnappa movie story: Veeranna (Rangayana Raghu), a gram panchayat president, is up for re-election, and the best way to sway votes in his favour, he reckons, is by building a temple and having a celebrity inaugurate it. When the designated chief guest becomes unavailable, Veeranna turns to school master Krishnappa (Sampath Maitreya) to tap into his contacts and find an alternative. To his luck, one of his childhood pals, who now lives in Bengaluru, is well connected and makes a tall promise. Can they fulfil it?

Moorane Krishnappa movie review: If you are looking at the star cast of Moorane Krishnappa that is led by Rangayana Raghu and Sampath Maitreya and wondering whether investing time and money on a trip to the movie halls is worth it, well, make no mistake, this one won’t disappoint. Rangayana Raghu is a different beast in this one and he’s surrounded by a host of actors, some of who are rank newbies, who make the film one helluva fun ride.

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Director Naveen Narayanaghatta (of Akira fame), sets his tale in a quaint little village with a narrative that’s centred mainly on one event. The inauguration of the new temple and the anticipation of the celebrity guest who is doing the honours. Once the guest is ‘fixed’, the next question is how to welcome the dignitary and ensure Veeranna is the star of the show. Everything has to be stellar, so that Veeranna’s rival, Loki (Ugramm Manju), does not stand a chance in the election. Well, of course, it can’t be all smooth sailing and something does go wrong.

Rangayana Raghu and Sampath Maitreya’s Moorane Krishnappa sets theatrical release date 

The first half of Moorane Krishnappa is the laugh riot; in the second, there is a tonal shift, but Naveen never lingers too long on the melodrama. He keeps the narrative light, and is aware that he does not want to wear his audience out. What Naveen’s got spot on, despite a few minor flaws, is the writing and the casting. Special shout out to Muniyappa Anekal as Veeranna’s right-hand man Shankara; the man’s quite a find. Tukali Santhosh as Krishnappa’s pal Raghu, Anand as Nandisha and Ugramm Manju are all at their A-game. It would have been nice to see a little more of Manju’s Loki and what he’s capable of in his pursuit of the panchayat president’s chair. But then, this is Krishnappa’s tale, even though, Veeranna is at the centre of it.

Moorane Krishnappa works well because it is not focused on only 1 or 2 characters, but rather, is a team effort, with everyone contributing in their little way. Even the actress who plays Veeranna’s wife and gets 2 lines in the film, or the tea-shop owner who makes Krishnappa ‘pay his dues’. It’s these little bits that go a long way in elevating the film.

Moorane Krishnappa movie verdict: Moorane Krishnappa has a message at its core, but when you walk out of the theatre, you are more likely to remember it for its fun characters and moments. There is no dearth of that in Naveen Narayanaghatta’s film. If you are looking for the big screen cinematic experience, you won’t find it here, but if you’d rather have a good time with friends and family and have quite a few good laughs, Moorane Krishnappa will do the job.