Prashanth Kamath

I went to watch only because of Raj Shetty. All main characters in the story are from those marginalized by 'respectable' society. Toby continues the arc of 'Shiva' from GGVV. The main theme is the tender love of a daughter for her father. The result is decidedly mixed. Minor characters and their character traits detract from the main storyline instead of enriching it. Besides, there are some jarringly false notes. The young police SI's fear of firearms doesn't add any texture to the film. Why would an SI confess his weakness to a subordinate, that too in the first meeting? Why would a daughter complain to the police only about her missing father, when her husband is missing too? The village big man's method of eliminating rivals is unnecessarily gruesome. It is not clear why he would need Toby's services, when he already has a 'well oiled machine'. The Goldsmith's custom of watering the Tulsi plant and doing an aarti seems to be a novel custom added only to make the Oracle's prediction come true. The role played by the horse and the nose ring in the climax is truly lame. Toby's love interest is subversively named ''Savithri'. Amidst all this cleverness, the daughter's love for her father which I think is the emotional core of the story is diluted and unmoving. Chaitra has performed well, but is really miscast in the role of the daughter.

They have Malcolm Marshall's run up, Gavaskar and Amarnath's distinctive batting stance right. Kapil's Nataraja shot. Marshall picking up the ball and unsentimemtally wiping off blood and whatever else was sticking to the ball after the bouncer injured Gengsarkar. They've got many things right. Best of all re-enacting lbws, caught behinds which must have been very time consuming to get right. Actor playing Gavaskar truly looked the part in one scene. They've also got Gavaskar's famous ability to leave the bouncers bending backwards, eyes following the trajectory of the ball to the keeper's gloves. Kapil is blessed, Destiny's child.