Tootu Madike review: A fun yet gripping tale of love and dreams told with doses of humour and entertainment

3/5

Story:

An ancient figurine worth crores becomes the object of desire for many different individuals. Each belongs to a unique walk of life and has their own specific reason to get their hands on the figurine, thus triggering a series of most comical and bizarre circumstances involving scams, kidnaps, and the whole gamut. In this quest for gold and ultimate glory, who will come out as the winner?

Tootu Madike, in the literal sense, means a 'Clay pot with a hole'. As a metaphor, the film's title is a reference to the ill-fated lives of the poor and how they are meant to remain bereft of hope and the luxury of dreaming big, for a claypot with a hole can only be filled to a certain extent. In one of the early scenes, we hear the narrator introduce us to the main setting of the film, a sprawling slum in Bengaluru, and how its dwellers are compelled to never aspire for anything beyond their confines. And yet, he adds, there are those moments when one's aspirations know no bounds and the heart seeks out what it can never achieve. Tootu Madike, in its truest essence, is the story of such dreamers and aspirants who hatch plans so outrageous that they destined to doom and nothing else, but life is known to often throw a bone or two to the underdog for its own amusement. 

But that said, it would be unwise to claim that the film has any single protagonist of the conventional manner. Sure, just as with any multistarrer, one encounters several protagonists in pursuit of their respective goals but that isn't the case either with Tootu Madike. There's a barrage of characters we get to know over the course, understand the various conundrums and reasons for pursuing the ancient figurine, and yet none of them are bonafide "heroes" or protagonists of any kind. Through Chandra Keerthi's well-designed screenplay, the film traverses a wide range of character-needs; from a politician's son stuck in a MMS blackmail scam to two best friends from the slums out on the task to kidnap him, the film brims with interesting character types and sprouts of vibrancy. Although a few sequences could seem redundant and derailing, the narrative treads on merrily right from the first frame, and that is Tootu Madike's biggest merits. In the same vein, the narrative is not slowed down by unnecessary songs but the music mostly remains a steady companion.

The film also employs a strong sense of realism. The slums and the impoverished areas are presented truest to reality but with very little melodrama or similar sentimentality attached. Shot mostly on location, director Chandra Keerthi doesn't polish his storyworld and instead uses the scummy locations to highlight the subtext of his story, further aided by some realistic and punchy dialogues.

The cast comprises of a good mix of fresh or lesser-known faces and the known ones with director Keerthi himself playing one of the leads. His portrayal as the ambitious and energetic Nasgunni is endearing and the on-screen rapport with Girish Shivanna's character of Dollar is one of the main highlights of the film. Pavana Gowda shines in the role of the snappy-yet-charming tea vendor Parimala while Pramod Shetty brings his experience to the table and also adds credibility. Actor and former RJ Nanda Gopal, who was mighty impressive as the impenetrable cop in Arvindh Kamath's Arishadvarga, is delightful as the snarky and shady Kannan with his many rhythm-filled lines. To top it all, the child artists lead the way by lending the film a lot of flair.

On the flipside, the same writing also gets carried away in parts, particularly in the second half, and one can feel things going a little haphazard. The film ends up carrying more material than it has the space and strength for but is eventually saved by the exciting finish. One must stick around for the post-credits scene to gain some extra insights into the climax which ends with a flourish.

Verdict:

Tootu Madike is quite easily the best watch among the many theatrical releases this week. The film features an exciting ensemble cast that does perfect justice to the enterprising storyline - one is sure to enjoy the film for its many one-liners and an intriguing plot that will keep you hooked throughout. Barring a few lapses, Tootu Madike is an entertaining film that offers many surprises and a great time at the movies.