Badava Rascal review: Daali Dhananjaya’s film on family and friendship is quite the winner

3.5/5

Story: Shankara, the protagonist, narrates his story to a gang of rowdies who had picked him up along with his friend after a street fight. Despite having an MBA degree, Shankara wants to make it big in life on his own terms. He has it all - a happy family, a girlfriend and loads of good friends. However, the twist in the tale occurs when his girlfriend suddenly refuses to marry him despite her mother, an influential politician, giving her consent to their marriage. Though it sounds like a plain and simple love story with a predictable end, it is much more than meets the eye.

Review: Simple, yet elegant, could be the best description as to what the director, along with the entire team of Badava Rascal, has achieved in the end. The movie runs smoothly right throughout its 132-minute run time without any hiccups. That's the 'reel beauty' of this much needed experience, which Kannada audience had been waiting for since the pandemic disrupted their entertainment quotient.

Some movies are made to suit the taste of family audiences, and some are meant to be watched along with friends and a few with special ones at the corner seats. Well, this one, which also marks lead actor Dhananjaya’s entry into film production, has something for everyone. A once-in-a-bluemoon phenomena, especially when it comes to ready-made commercial formulas, the film surprises with a unique narrative style that ultimately emerges winner. In the run-up to a film’s release, the makers almost always go to town stating that their movie has the right balance of romance, family drama, action, comedy, etc., which is not the case often. Badava Rascal, though, scores on this, living up to its promise of having something for everyone.

What will appeal most to the audience are the family and friendship values that it is based on, with a romantic twist in the tale. Further, the good writing and effective screenplay add value to the brilliant performances of almost everyone on screen. Special call out to Dhananjaya in the lead, Rangayana Raghu and Thara, as the parents of the protagonist, as well as Nagabhushan as the best friend, all of who score high with their performances.

If there is anything that does not sync with the overall goodness of the film, it’s got to be the music. Vasuki Vaibhav’s compositions, strangely, do not have the same magic as some of his earlier works.

Verdict: Badava Rascal is not just a love story, but a unique experience full of family and friendship values, delivered to near perfection. If you are looking for a film with fun and meaningful content, then this is just what you need.

PS: The satellite and digital rights of Badava Rascal have been sold to Colors/Voot.

*(Shashiprasad S M is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru)