Super Kannada movie review

• DIRECTOR Upendra
• ACTORS Upendra, Nayanatara (average looking), Sadhu Kokila, Sudarshan, Tulip Joshi
• RUN TIME 135 mins (good!!)

Does the audience expect kannada actor Upendra, who has returned to direct a kannada film after 10 years, to do the same old routine? He carries the unenviable burden of having to create something unique everytime he comes up with a film. Maybe, that is why he stayed away for so many years. The actordirector-story-writer picks up his pet theme of 'cleaning up India,' an idea he propagated in his old film Operation Antha, where he appears like a messiah, with his preachy monologues. (Free download super songs here)

The film begins in 2030. Our Vidhana Soudha stands shining amidst Manhattan-type skyscrapers and Mysore brims with an international airport. Spotless roads are cleaned by white-skinned foreigners, who also take up all menial jobs. A rupee is worth 80 British pounds and India looks like a high-school boy's Utopian dream. This is the best part of the film, an unbelievable fantasy worth enjoying (at least) on the screen. Back in 2010, one man changed the country forever. (You must have guessed? Who else?)

Subash Chandra Gandhi (Upendra) is an Indian-origin businessman in London who can distinguish between the soil of India and England by just smell itself. A gift of packed soil from India is enough to seal any business deal with him. He marries an authentic Indian woman Indira (Nayantara) and after her betrayal begins to change the country to win her back.

Such fantasy journeys have been a forte of directors like Shankar (Shivaji - The Boss, Enthiran). Besides the obvious inspiration, Upendra borrows heavily from his own Operation Antha. But, many copied Upendra in the last 10 years and managed to outdo him. Super turns out to be an amalgamated story, having picturised the same-old sequences in his previous flicks. Dialogues have always been his strength, but here many seem coerced. Some of them do entertain, enticing applause occasionally.
The songs too pale in comparison to his earlier films.

Super is replete with references to many current political events in the state. Like Gandhi becomes the chief minister with the help of mining barons Chaddi Brothers, who 'resort' to horse trading.

By the way, Subash Gandhi's knowledge of English must have been through Kannada films. There is the 'by-the-by' phrase, unique to Kannada films, uttered twice. Barring a few episodes, the film does not stand up. An average film overall.