Mathe Mungaru Movie Reviews

Here is yet another fine spell from the team of ‘Mathe Mungaru’ (Monsoon Again). The brilliance of Raghav Dwarki and complete support extended to this kind of cinema by E Krishnappa is admirable.

Captive in the Pakistan Army the eleven Indians hailing from Mangalore belt spending 21 years in the ‘Black Hole’ that is going unnoticed to the nine prime ministers of India is a startling information that we have seen already in the print media in 2003. It was during the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee these prisoners who faced massive ill treatment were released when a small truce developed in the Indo-Pak relations.

One of the captive members in real life Narayana Mandhagaddhe who was in the ‘Black Hole’ for 21 years is currently staying in Shimoga district. Collecting data for his film director Raghav Dwarki has stitched the agony in a heart touching way in ‘Mathe Mungaru’. Making this type of film requires lot of attention and sound support. That is what the director got from E Krishnappa the producer one of the top grosser of Kannada cinema history ‘Mungaru Male’.

One of the very touching scenes is where in the Pakistan Army headquarters a Muslim from India antagonize not leaving his Indian friends is very memorable. Ninasam Ashwath as Muslim guy has given a punching performance.

When you look at the film as a whole the striking element is the struggle in the black hole, the Pakistan ill treatment and military bindings all shake the minds of the audience. This is an extraordinary cinema no doubt. But the commercial elements like how SV Rajendra Singh Babu did in ‘Muthina Haara’ a war background cinema (starring Dr Vishnuvardhana, Suhasini Manirathnam, Ashwath, Ramkumar and others) was needed. The interspersing was needed in the interest of the audience instead of making a serious stuff.

The fisherman community youth Naani (Srinagar Kitty) immensely in love with Thara (Rachana Malhotra) with the sacred Mangalasutra ready faces a very hard destiny. Naani with other members board the ‘Jeevadhani’ ship for fishing finds the weather creating the havoc. The ship moves in a different direction and land at Pakistani border. This is where all the eleven in the ship are surrounded. They are beaten black and blue before sending them to the ‘Black Hole’.

The severe ill treatment given here is very well captured. It was in the early 1984 this incident took place and every successive Prime Minister did not focus on theseIndian citizens. Every time the time comes near for the release one or the other national issue like Indira Gandhi assassination, Babri Masjid, Kargil war, Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Mumbai blasts further spoil the light of the day for Indian prisoners in Pakistan.

In 2003 when former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrive at a truce meeting in which even a Bus from New Delhi leave to Lahore the things become very promising for the prisoners.

Naani and gang are released after 21 years but it is further sad state of affairs for Naani in his home town. He comes to the house in gory looks and on the day of ceremony of his he eats in the house as a beggar. It is the waiting mother of Naani who recognize him.

Naani coming from Pakistan to his village becomes a big news and he is thoroughly questioned teases him in his life. What happened to Thara…fiancé of Naani. You have to watch it in the theatres.

The glorious part of this film is the gorr of prisoners in Pakistan. The torture scenes in the military atmosphere are blood curdling.

Srinagara Kitty has given his best of the career. He has that cool and anger mix in his expressions. He has delivered his innocence beautifully in this film. Ravishanker, Anand, Enagi Nataraj and others have done nice job in their roles.

The background voice of Ambarish when the Indians are captive in Pakistan has added value to the film.

The fantastic work comes from Sundarnath Suvarana camera. The 20 minutes portion of ship hit by storm is brilliant. The top angle shots are very catchy.