Director: Santhosh Ananddram
Cast: Puneeth Rajkumar, Priya Anand, Sarath Kumar, Vijayalakshmi Singh, Rangayana Raghu, Dattanna, Prakash Raj, Anant Nag, Achyuth Kumar, Chikkanna, Sadhu Kokila
The director of ‘Mr and Mrs Ramachari’, which set a new record at the box office in Sandalwood, had the perfect, powerful tool to strike back with his second venture – 'Raajakumara.' Unfortunately, apart from Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar’s charming onscreen presence and the heavily loaded family sentiments, it proves to be an average outing. It is a perfect example of ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’. Here, it is the case of too much of too many things including the long list of star cast.
It starts with some cricket, a fight and then patriotism. Later, a rich NRI Kannada family followed with sight seeing of tourist spots in Australia, and then a bit of salsa dance and falling in love before the tragic plane crash where the protagonist’s entire family dies. All of this including the hero being revealed as an orphan is the first part of the story.
If that was not enough, the director has much more in store for the second half. The family values take centerstage along with a different peg in the story, fighting to clear his deceased father’s name in a scam. Also, his concern for deserted aged parents in an old age home or the orphanage is filled with high emotions.
In between, the director’s take on direct reference to Puneeth Rajkumar’s long drawn career on several occasions is an overdone phenomenon to impress Power fans. It is Puneeth who actually saves the day for ‘Raajakumara’. In an attempt to draw family audiences, the director has mashed up excessive feel good factors, pumped with family emotions, forcing audiences to shed some tears. Yes, there are some moments for sensitive ones to cry their hearts out but they soon dry out too.
The director barely manages to pull it off in his attempt to please everyone by offering something of everything to audiences especially Puneeth fans. If family sentiment is your preferred mode of entertainment, then ‘Raajakumara’ will not disappoint you. It also comes with the usual bonus for the fans – Puneeth dancing on a special number.
