Gandhada Gudi Review

28 Oct, 2022 09:38 IST|Sakshi Post
Puneeth Rajkumar's Gandhada Gudi in theatres
Sakshi Rating: 

Puneeth Rajkumar's most ambitious project—Gandhada Gudi is also one of the most anticipated documentary dramas in Kannada. The entire Sandalwood was looking forward to its release in theatres. With a curtain raiser event "Puneeth Parva" at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru recently, the makers set the momentum for Gandhada Gudi's theatrical release. 

This was the late Sandalwood actor Puneeth Rajkumar's dream project and he had pinned huge hopes on this. In fact, he had discussed at length about this project with his friends, well wishers and people from the industry. Now just that, Appu (as he is fondly called by his fans), had also shared a poster of Gandhada Gudi on his social media platform just two days before his death. Unfortunately, he passed away even before the docum drama could see the light of the day.

Finally, on the eve of Puneeth Rajkumar's death anniversary, the Kannada Power Star's most cherished project 'Gandhada Gudi' has released in theatres. The duration is of 1.37mins. If you are curious about this project which has generated a lot of buzz on social media, here you go...

Rajkumar family had a special bond with the forests. Annavru aka Dr Rajkumar would often fondly refer to people from Chamarajnagar (near Mysuru in Karnataka) as his own forest community. If there's one Rajkumar movie, which is unforgettable among others, then Gandhada Gudi finds a special mention. The film also starred Annavru's contemporary, Dr Vishnuvardhan. The Good Vs Bad, who turn out to be siblings in the end, was a treat for fans of the two legendary Kannada stars.

That apart, Gandhada Gudi was also perhaps the first movie on Forests.Taking it forward from there, Kannada hattrick hero and Rajanna's son, Shivarajkumar had starred in Gandhada Gudi 2, in which he had emphasised much on conservation of forest resources. Now, Puneeth Rajkumar has joined the franchise. The docu drama has been produced by his own production house run by his wife, Ashwini.
Puneeth Rajkumar appears as himself in Gandhada Gudi, and hence it is not a fictitious tale. He joins hands with director Amoghavarsha, a nature lover and knows much about forests. The result is Gandhada Gudi.

How rich are the forest resources in Karnataka. What's the uniqueness of flora and fauna found there. From a detailed description of the birds, trees, kali river, mountains, Malnadu region, Karavali, western ghats, Tungabhadra river, elephant conservation...Puneeth Rajkumar's journey begins from Nagarahole (Karnataka) to Rajkumar's birth place Ganajur. From there, Gandhada Gudi beautifully captures the beauty of Karnataka forest reserves like Dandeli, Malenadu, Vijayanagara, BRT Tiger Reserve, Jog falls making the audience wonder if all these beautiful locations really exist in Karnataka.

Puneeth also explains why one must not throw plastics into the sea. Despite being a star, Appu is seen mingling with the common man and eating with them and learning immensely about forests from them.

Watching Gandhada Gudi is an emotional journey for fans and Kannada movie buffs. Seeing him come alive on the screen, conversing with them could be overwhelming. We have heard of Appu's simplicity, but in Gandhada Gudi one gets to see it first hand. There are scenes which makes you cry, particularly when Puneeth asks director Amoghavarsha if the place is safe and if they can return home safe. To even imagine that Appu is no more makes the audience emotional.

Puneeth Rajkumar gives a strong and clear message to everyone through Gandha Gudi. He urges people to enjoy nature as well as preserve it for the future generation as well. Let's protect forests and wildlife is the final message of Kannada Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar in Gandhada Gudi.Appu's wife Ashwini makes a cameo in the docu drama.

Cinematographer Prateek Shetty's work is mindblowing. He has splendidly captured the best of Karnataka in his lens making Gandhada Gudi a visual treat to the audience. The BGM is by Ajneesh Loknath, which elevates the scenes to the next level.

More than anything else, it's a delight to watch Puneeth Rajkumar one last time on the big screen. His magnetic smile, charismatic mannerisms and thought-provoking messages makes Gandhada Gudi a delightful watch. More than calling this a movie, one can call Gandhada Gudi an unforgettable experience. While Appu continues to flaunt his signature smiling face throughout the movie, the audience can't help but tear up thinking about his absence.

Verdict: Puneeth Rajkumar's Gandhada Gudi is an experience in itself, a visual treat.

Rating: One cannot possibly rate this docu-drama. But If I were to rate Gandhada Gudi, for all the efforts put, I would give it a 5/5.

Sakshi Rating: 
(5/5)
whatsapp channel
Read More:
More News