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Gurudev Hoysala Movie Review : Dhananjaya, Naveen Shankar steal the show

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Manjunath 227 days ago

User Ankita 431 days ago

Super action movie

Dr R Sriram PhD 991 462 days ago

A nice cop movie with all usual masalas with small but known twists...but watachable

jiminiephabo 466 days ago

The Best Police movie to watch... Daali's acting... and the role given to him is INSANELY WONDERFUL.... This really deserves a 5/5....

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Gurudev Hoysala Review: A Dhananjaya, Naveen Shankar show all the way

This movie, starring dhananjaya, is written and directed by vijay n and is an action-packed emotional drama set in north karnataka..

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• Gurudev Hoysala is a big film for Dhananjaya.
• He plays a cop who is set out to right a wrong.
• The movie released on March 30.

Release Date: 30 Mar, 2023

Kannada films in 2022 have been the talk of the town and, keeping in mind the expectations, KRG Studios' Karthik Gowda and Yogi G Raj, have given the audience a film that ticks most of the right boxes.

The initial scenes touch upon Gurudev's upright character and then brings in the element of illegal sand mining. It is when a young couple - Bhoomi (Mayuri Natraja) and Ravi (Anirudh Bhat) - land up at his station that things take a turn. The couple tells him they are orphaned and want to get married and Gurudev gets them married at the police station. But he then finds out she is the daughter of the local Dada, and she has married Ravi, who comes from a much lower caste. All hell breaks loose when the couple disappear and her father wants his daughter back. What does Gurudev do next? Does the inter-caste rivalry cause issues in the town?

Films that revolve around a cop always involve a lot of action and they can either go moralistic or be about the good winning over evil. In the case of Gurudev Hoysala, the director has filled it with enough action so Dhananjay can flex his muscles amply and throws in the inter-caste element to make it more meaningful. However, Vijay N stops short of being preachy.

Dhananjay ends up being the one to make things right since he had committed a perceived social crime. So the director has ensured that the hero has all the aspects required to make him larger-than-life - love, drama, action, emotions, etc. The dialogues by Masthi are full of punch and he has written some excellent lines in this flick for the hero.

Now, comes the antagonist. Bali essayed by Naveen Shankar stands out in the film, along with Dhananjay, since he delivered a standout performance. As far as the women are concerned in this film, Amruta Iyengar doesn't have too much to do. Though Mayuri Natraja had a small role, she does a great job in it.

Gurudev Hoysala is said to be based on a true story, but it is a normal cop story. There are elements that could have been added to give the audience some unexpected surprises. The production values are good and the music by Ajaneesh Loknath is apt for this film. All in all, this Dhananjaya film is a good weekend watch that brings the cop action flick back into the limelight in Kannada cinema. Published By: Latha Srinivasan Published On: Mar 30, 2023 --- ENDS --- ALSO SEE | Gurudev Hoysala trailer out. Dhananjaya's cop drama is all about action and thrill

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Gurudev Hoysala Movie Review: The Dhananjaya-starrer is Taut And Reasonably Engaging

Director: Vijay Naagendra

Cast: Dhananjaya , Amrutha Iyengar, Naveen Shankar, Mayuri Nataraja

Gurudev Hoysala , Dhananjaya’s 25th film directed by Vijay Naagendra, sets out to tell a story set in a universe inspired by many cop movies across languages. The performances and the tech crew try their best to rise to that task but fall short. Because, in the process of paying homage to those seminal films, Gurudev Hoysala loses track quite a few times, and forgets to put in the work needed to become one of those iconic films. Everything is resolved too quickly before you even engage with what’s happening. 

As always, Dhananjaya is sincerity personified as Gurudev, the trigger-happy, oft-transferred cop with anger on the tip of his tongue. Naveen Shankar, who charmed so much in Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage in 2022, is cast as Bali, a killing machine. One understands his loyalty to Nana and Dadaji, but why does he kill a wild boar thus? Why is his hate so visceral? No one knows. BS Avinash of the KGF universe plays the vicious Dadaji, for whom caste takes precedence over everything else.  

The film, set in North Karnataka, begins with an inspector who is out to protect the Karnataka flag during a protest. Soon, he’s tasked with investigating sand mining and the case of an inspector who has gone missing. You hope it is the beginning of a thriller. No sir. Suddenly, a young couple enters the picture, and the film makes a sudden diversion to an anti-caste film. But, to the film’s credit, it goes all out in this angle and takes a solid stand, and does not dither. 

Ambedkar and the Constitution and philosophers from Karnataka are mentioned often and director Vijay makes a solid case — when we teach students that everyone is equal and they grow up believing that and fall in love with someone, why are we telling them caste lords over everything else?

I understand the first thing Dhananjaya looks like is rough and tough, but peel the layers and you have a deeply sensitive actor whose face can crumple with angst and turn warm with love (We saw that in Ratnan Prapancha and Monsoon Raga ). Sadly, you see very little of the latter. Gurudev gnashes his teeth, uses brute force to vanquish his enemies and his revolver comes in handy ever so often. There are also some dialogues that make you cringe — they belong to the 80s, not today. This is not a message movie, so why such lines?

There are some twists and turns that work and they’ve got the Kannada speckled with Marathi diction right, but some is the operative word. If I have to lay blame somewhere, I’d go for the writing. It is so predictable, you can see things from a mile away. Blatant disregard for hierarchy, something so important in the forces, is startling. Which subordinate officer slaps the boss? 

Among the portions that worked is the one where Gurudev realises he’s committed a wrong and does his best to resolve it. That’s possibly one of the two times he shows he’s fallible.

The film’s women, barring Mayuri Nataraja as Bhoomi, fall terribly short in characterisation. Mayuri is achingly lovely as Bhoomi, the girl who falls in love with someone from a lowered caste and pays the price for it. Watch the fleeting expressions on her face. She’s the only one with an arc. Amrutha Iyengar is Ganga, Gurudev’s wife, and there’s not much the script lets her do but dance or look angry or afraid.

The cinematography by Karthik S suits the mood of the film and the music is by Ajaneesh Loknath. The stunts are by Dhilip Subbarayan and Arjun Raj, and they have their work cut out, with the numerous stunt sequences, some of which make you sit up.  

Police excesses have long been glorified on screen, and been the subject of much debate. Because, reel often spills over to the real — just as easily as people lap up a Singham on screen, they forgive such excesses in real life. Remember, it is hardly two days since a cop in Tamil Nadu faced suspension for human rights violations. I’d really like to see a film where the cop follows the rule of the law and brings the bad guys to justice, following due process and not using bullets like popcorn. 

What happens when that is not written into the script is sheer bravado. And, even if a film is taut (editor: Deepu S Kumar) in just a little more than two hours, it becomes a case of too much bravado.

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Gurudev Hoysala Reviews

What happens when that is not written into the script is sheer bravado. And, even if a film is taut (editor: Deepu S Kumar) in just a little more than two hours, it becomes a case of too much bravado.

Full Review | Apr 3, 2023

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Gurudev Hoysala review: The popular rugged cop is back with Daali and Naveen Shankar’s top-class performances

Based on true incidents, the film brilliantly highlights a heinous crime — honour killings — while retaining its commercial viability.

Published:Aug 18, 2023

'Gurudev Hoysala marks the 25th venture of Daali Dhananjaya. (Supplied)

A treat for Daali's fans!

Gurudev Hoysala (Kannada)

• Cast: Dhananjaya, Amrutha Iyengar, Naveen Shankar, Achyuth Kumar, Raghu Shivamogga, Avinash B S, Rajesh Nataranga, Prathap Narayan, Mayuri Natarj
• Director: Vijay N
• Producers: Karthik Gowda & Yogi G Raj
• Music: Ajaneesh B Loknath
• Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes
• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

The Kannada film industry has produced some of the best films with star heroes playing the role of tough cops.

Loved by the audience for its mass appeal, punching dialogues, and villains with loads of fight sequences, the tale of an honest policeman on the silver screen is back with a bang!

Daali Dhananjaya’s 25th venture — Gurudev Hoysala — is loaded with all the above-mentioned characteristics. It also highlights a heinous crime that’s crippling our society — honour killings.

The cop story

Gurudev (Daali Dhananjaya) is a rugged, daring, and fearless police inspector. He is transferred to Athani to trace a missing cop.

Daali Dhananjaya in a still from ‘Gurudev Hoysala’. (Supplied)

He comes across a young couple who are picked up by a corrupt policeman after they refuse to pay him a bribe.

Gurudev is told that they are orphans and are heading to a mass wedding ceremony being organised by a local leader where they want to tie the know.

Gurudev gets them married at a police station. However, little did he know that this decision to unite the couple who claimed to be “orphans” would put him into trouble that lasts for the next two hours-plus.

The rest of the story of Gurudev Hoysala is a good watch with all the elements that keep the audience engaged till the end.

Daali & Naveen’s show all the way

While Gurudev Hoysala marks a milestone in Daali’s acting career, being his 25th venture, Naveen Shankar returns with yet another exuberating performance in an antagonist role.

Dhananjay’s power-packed performance is one of the highlights of the film that is even powerfully backed by Naveen Shankar’s presence.

Also Read: Dasara Telugu movie review

The first half is more engaging with all the usual cop versus bad guys scenarios.

The second half starts to drain but holds on with a sensible take on a serious topic which is why the director claims it to be based on true incidents.

Honour killings

Many Indian films across various languages have effectively focused on heinous crimes such as honour killings.

In Gurudev Hoysala , the same has been brilliantly blended to make it commercially viable. There is hardly any humour or at least a fantastically composed song that could have added value to the cop story.

Having said that, it is a decent film that does not make one regret taking their precious time out to watch it in a theatre.

If you are one of those who love watching cop-hero movies and can sustain all that drama and action which comes along with it, then do not miss Gurudev Hoysala .

While it’s a treat for Daali’s fans, watch it for Naveen’s impeccable act, too.

(Views expressed are personal.)

Tags:  

• Entertainment
• film review
• Kannada films
• Movie review

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Gurudev Hoysala Movie Review: A compelling cop drama highlighting caste issues

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

For a long time, Kannada filmmakers have avoided caste-based crimes as the core subject of their films, especially in commercial entertainers. Sensitive as it is and complex with its many facets, not many filmmakers boldly showcased their understanding of this subject. With his film, Gurudev Hoysala , director Vijay N seems to qualify himself in the league of those filmmakers with the spunk to explore and justify the subject even when mounting it as a true-blue commercial potboiler.

Going beyond just cursory depth, Gurudev Hoysala gives an insight into the social issue of caste differences along with intense action, and a mysterious plot that will have you on the edge of your seat. While the director has designed a gutsy script, he also sheds light on a cop's life, and his humane side.

Cast: Dhananjay, Amrutha Iyengar, Naveen Shankar, Prathap Narayan

Director: Vijay N

The film begins with the titular song, Sala Sala Hoysala , introducing Gurudev Hoysala, an upright police officer, who gets posted to a town in Belagavi, where he is investigating the case of a missing police officer Bhargav. He has a face-off with the sand mafia and in the course of the investigation, he meets love birds Nataraja Mayuri (Bhoomi), and Ravi (Aniruddh Bhat). Gurudev helps them get married, but he soon realises that they belong to different castes. 

Upon instructions from Bhoomi's father Daada (Avinash Andrews) and a senior police officer (Rajesh Nataranga), Gurudev starts searching for the eloped couple. From here the story takes a twist leading to a case of honour killing. Through a series of interconnected events — the hierarchy of the upper and lower caste, local gangsters, corruption, inept police officers, and conspiracies — the film reaches a predictable climax.

Vijay N, who last directed the romantic drama  Geetha , takes up a hard-hitting subject that raises some important issues. However, the story meanders a bit, and there are unnecessary scenes fitted into the narrative. Though the film ends on a bright note, the climax could have been more convincing.

With the beauty of nature wonderfully captured by cinematographer Karthik S, the background score by Ajaneesh B Loknath is grim, gritty, and grey. The dialogue by Maasti adds to the essence of the story. Stunt scenes by Dhilip Subbarayan and Arjun Raj is a treat for action lovers.

Dhananjay, who has been trying on different characters, fits into the character of an angry young cop and leaves a strong impact in his 25th film. His character seems infrangible, but at the same time has emotional limitations, which Dhananjay emotes with elan. Equally strong performance comes from Naveen Shankar, who gives life to his role as antagonist Bali. He fits the role of a menacing villain and his face-off with Dhananjay is a sequence to watch out for. Mayuri Nataraja and Anirudh Bhat are the souls of the plot, and both upcoming talents have justified their roles.  Achyuth Kumar, and Raghu Shivamogga, who are seen alongside Dhananjay throughout the film, add value to the cop drama. Amrutha Iyengar's role, in short, makes us understand the challenges one goes through being a cop's wife.  Prathap Narayan and Avinash Andrews highlight their respective roles, with a lot of support coming from junior artists. Nagabhusahana, in a short role, breezes with his comedy character.

Gurudev Hoysala , a cop drama is relevant, compelling, and will spark conversation.

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Gurudev hoysala, ಗುರುದೇವ್ ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ.

Directed by Vijay N

Gurudev Hoysala, an upright police officer, gets involved in the inter-caste marriage of a Bhoomi and Ravi, only to realise later that Bhoomi is an influential landlord’s daughter.The situation heats up as the girl's father gets furious and starts an uproar in the town.

Dhananjay Naveen Shankar Amrutha Iyengar Nagabhushana N S B. S. Avinash Achyuth Kumar Raghu Shivamogga Rajesh Nataranga Prathap Narayan Mayuri Nataraj Aniruddh Bhat Manasi Sudhir Tejaswini Rajesh Hemanth Sushil Bala Rajwadi Nandini Patwardhan

Director Director

Producers producers.

Karthik Gowda Yogi G Raj

Writers Writers

Vijay N Maasthi Upparahalli

Story Story

Editor editor.

Deepu S. Kumar

Cinematography Cinematography

Production design production design.

Vishwas Kashyap

Stunts Stunts

Dhilip Subbarayan Arjun Raj

Composer Composer

B. Ajaneesh Loknath

Songs Songs

Yogaraj Bhat Santhosh Ananddram

Sound Sound

M. R. Rajakrishnan

KRG Studios

Alternative Title

Action Thriller Crime

Releases by Date

30 mar 2023, releases by country.

• Theatrical U/A 13+

132 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Luke Thorne ★★★★

Vijay Naagendra’s violent action thriller in which an upright cop officer is conveyed to Athani to examine a case of a corresponding vanished officer. In Kannada with English subtitles.

The story concerns Gurudev Hoysala (Dhananjaya), an ethically upright cop inspector, who is referred to Athani to examine a corresponding officer's vanishing. However, it isn’t long before a sceptical young couple makes the mystery difficult.

Dhananjaya gives a very good performance in his role as the title character, the sub-inspector whose attempts to solve the case he is involved in isn’t going to be as easy as he thought, while Amrutha Iyengar is decent as Ganga.

Elsewhere, B. S. Avinash as Daada, Achyuth Kumar as Assistant Sub Inspector Sampath, Naveen Shankar…

Review by Bhargavi Chandrashekar ★★ 5

Gurudev Hoysala is a decent commercial potboiler with a social message, featuring impressive performances from Dhananjaya and Naveen Shankar. However, the plot lacks innovation and fails to leave a lasting impression. The movie depicting an honor killing didn't seem as convincing to me compared to other movies I've watched with a similar setting. Despite being an improvement from Vijay Nagendra's previous film, Geetha, it didn't quite captivate me.

The cinematography, editing, and music were all noteworthy. Amrutha Iyengar's role was more of a cameo than a lead, and her character lacked the strength typically associated with the wife of a cop in other police dramas. That said, I would recommend it to those who enjoy socially relevant films with a commercial touch. Others chuck this and wait for an OTT Release.

Review by The Shy Guy ★★★½ 2

Watched this movie 2nd time. I am really addicted to the BGM which goes like ಸಳ ಸಳ ಸಳ... ಈ ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ... The film's story is what I like, which is a bit unique & interesting. After interval there's a bit of slow screenplay but then climax again is top notch. Particularly the performances of the lead characters were brilliant.

Review by TANAV ★★★

Decent Film

Review by MovieMan_247 ★★★

A decent commercial cop thriller! Daali Dhananjay did a good job, the story is considerably ok for a commercial movie! The little plot turns worked for me and the dialog was ok! Overall a decent one time watch! ⭐⭐⭐👍

Review by Suhas Chand Godekere ★★★½

Short Take - A solid star vehicle!

Dhananjay spearheads this movie in the titular character, a no nonsense cop who will go to any extent to get justice. He is assigned the missing case of another officer and transferred to Athani. There he comes across two lovers who have eloped and are illegally detained in his police station. He gets the two married only to rile up the girl's family who are extremely castiest and obviously criminals. As the issue gets sensitive, it is upto Gurudev to find the couple and the process gives him a lead on the missing officer.

The film does highlight the Honour killing and the prevailing casteism. Despite treading with familiar tropes, the screenplay remains…

Review by Sloppy Panda ★★★½

Out and out commercial movie but with a focus on story.

The movie is filled with issues and the plotholes. However, I have a bias towards the topic it deals with. Hence the higher rating. Unlike other hero focused commercial movies, this movie does care about the plot, not just hero worship. It deals with a very sensitive societal matter. It's a shame that these things exist in real life and movies are being made to show how cruel and inhumane these things are. Hopefully movies like this can play some role in educating people.

Dhananjaya as usual does a very good job at portraying a violent and anger overrun character. It is expected from him. Achyuth Kumar for a…

Review by C_V_M ★★★

It has its heart on the right place but if they 'Honestly' stick to that Honour killing thing this movie would have been a landmark movie in kannada...

Review by Jillu's ★★½

Based on a true events. Thought there will be a powerful social message. But this one was set as a normal mass masala flick. The investigation part in the 1st half and the climax revenge part alone worked. Rest didnt

Review by Pranati A S ★★★

Review by Thilak_ ★

Routine cop drama, overrated dialogues and below average execution.

Review by j_2_1 ★★★★

GURUDEV HOYSALA!!🔥 A very well made commercial movie after a long time!! with a good social message Decent fights did not hype it much! . Dhananjay's acting asusual was lit Naveen Shankar BALI!!🔥🔥 was looking fabulous on screen, liked the attitude of dhananjay's character . Amrutha Iyengar and nagbhushan's role was more of a cameo than justification of the part . A movie with great one liners!! And dialogues as well!! A very good action thriller!!

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'Gurudev Hoysala' review: A gripping, enjoyable cop drama

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'Gurudev Hoysala' is a smart film in which the makers know what they are doing. It has a hot-headed and upright cop. The film condemns honour killing. These are often-explored ideas but director Vijay N, who has also written the film's story and screenplay, has found new ways to sell them.

Vijay has a knack for providing a satisfying mix of multiple genres. He showed that with his debut 'Geetha' (starring Ganesh), where he provided a mass image to a fine romantic hero. That film too had a serious concept — the Gokak agitation of the 1980s — blended with a love story. Overindulgence killed the film's prospects but Vijay doesn't commit that mistake in 'Gurudev Hosayala'. He makes a whistle-worthy mainstream film that celebrates its star even as it remains focused on its central issue.

Gurudev (Dhananjaya) doesn't mince words. Neither does he hold back his punches. Being a good cop comes with a cost and in Gurudev's case, he is always unfairly slapped with a transfer.

One transfer, albeit a planned one, takes him to Athani in Belagavi. He is tasked to crack down on the sand mafia and find a missing police officer. But unlike routine cop dramas, Gurudev isn't an invincible cop. It's in fact a slip-up from him that makes him aware of the deep-seated casteism in the town. This is clever writing and there is another example of it.

While telling the story of a downtrodden man Ravi's (Anirudh Bhat) fight against the atrocities against an upper caste people family and their people (played by Avinash BS, Naveen Shankar, and Prathap Narayan), Vijay avoids melodrama. Instead, he makes Ravi a man with grey shades. This is not just a pleasant surprise but also a reflection of reality, where the oppressed are so single-minded in avenging the wrongs done to them.

The racy screenplay makes 'Gurudev Hoysala' an easy watch. The film zips through many plot points and yet it keeps us invested and curious. It doesn't reek of excess thanks to Vijay's brevity and clarity in expression. The film is also ambitious, in the sense that it avoids random additions to the story and goes for genre-fitting action sequences, one outside the police station and the other around a court. The serious nature of 'Gurudev Hoysala' reminds you of a similar yet superior attempt of Rajkumar Santhoshi's 'Khakhee' (2004).

Despite directing a 'masala' film at its core, you sense a constant urge from Vijay to increase the excitement of the plot. For instance, Nagabhushana's comedy isn't there for the sake of it. It is used as a tool to help Gurudev find a strong lead to his case. The bad apple in the police department (Achyuth Kumar) and the one who doesn't go by the book (Rajesh Nataranga) are given a chance to redeem themselves. This could be questionable outside of the film but it fits well inside the film's universe.

The aggression-filled male characterisations notwithstanding, it's the film's prominent female character who gets the best lines. In a poignant performance, Mayuri Nataraja is convincing when she says how casteism is a thought that's not easy to banish like you can with a rule.

With this film, Dhananjaya continues to grow as a people's hero on the screen. With his avatar of a progressive individual questioning discriminant people, he goes one step ahead of 'Badava Rascal', in which he catered to the sentiments of the middle-class people. As for his performance, Gurudev is an extension of ACP Samrat of 'Salaga', and he is on target again.

Naveen Shankar as the baddie Bali is fine but he seems to be an actor holding back his full potential. Perhaps people's acceptance of this film could help him look beyond his style of a straight-faced, brooding performer, also seen in 'Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage' and 'Hondisi Bareyiri'. Avinash BC is terrific and acts without the 'KGF' hangover.

Maasthi continues to be inventive in his wordplay, helping the hero deliver cracking punchlines. But he falls short in serious portions, especially when Gurudev waxes eloquent about the police force. The monologue feels rhetorical and jaded. If the makers were indeed serious about the Gurudev-Bali face off then they should have built their rivalry with consistency. The downside of a fast-paced film is that you don't get to savour some scenes fully.

These problems are minor when compared to how 'Gurudev Hoysala' comes across as a lesson to make a small-scale, old-school 'masala' film. The genre is relevant, especially when people are facing pan-India fatigue. 'Gurudev Hoysala' shows the genre can hit the bullseye through meticulousness from all departments.

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Gurudev Hoysala review: Dhananjaya’s film is a gripping drama that rises above cliches

At first glance, Gurudev Hoysala is a routine cop movie that eulogises its titular character. The opening moments of the film show a group of men attempting to vandalise the statue of Sangolli Rayanna over a petty cause, but little do they know that crime is the wrong profession to pick when Gurudev is in town. Right on cue, we have the supercop arriving on the scene atop a glorious horse, flashing his RayBans and channelling his inner Sangolli Rayanna. It's the ideal entry scene, and keeping up with tradition, there's a slo-mo action sequence thrown in as the title card flares up to maximise the effect. A scene like this is always unsettling for the first few moments, and then one begins to fear that, perhaps, the entire film would play out at this pitch. But luckily, I was proven wrong a few scenes later.

Vijay N's Gurudev Hoysala might be a mash-up of several cop films we have loved over the years, but the next 2.5 hours (roughly) gradually reveal that there is a lot more to it. It's a film that rides successfully on archetypes and old templates, but with a lot of conviction and nuance. Considering that nine out of ten Kannada films of late are found completely lacking these traits, you will certainly not mind watching a well-made rehash. And in consolation, the film throws up a pleasant surprise or two every now and then to thank us for our patronage. 

Right off the bat, we learn that Gurudev is the man of the hour and the cop for every need. But there's a catch to being that good, which is the ordeal of transfers. His wife Ganga (Amrutha Iyengar), the yin to his yang, is a Bharatanatyam teacher who prudently always keeps her luggage half-packed because god knows when Gurudev's work will siren them off to a new place. This time around, the posting is in a town called Athani in the Belagavi area, where an undercover cop, who was unravelling the sand mafia misdeeds, has gone MIA. No mafia in the world has come without trouble and this particular one is a triumvirate of trouble — head honcho Daada (Avinash BS), his son Naana (Prathap Narayan), and their very devoted lackey and chief breeder of violence, Bali. Simple names but equally complex personalities.

Bali does not belong to the family lineage and the writer uses the metaphor of a dog to describe his position — in one of the scenes in the second half, Daada says to Bali, “So far I have raised dogs that have been loyal, but you are the only killer among them.” “Raised,” being the operative word. But maybe that is why Bali is the most intriguing and exciting of the three (perhaps, the entire cast) and thankfully Vijay N (writer-director) recognises this. Naveen Shankar, the actor who plays this part, is also a revelation. The portions featuring Bali and Gurudev are quite enthralling especially because the villain, for a change, is humanised.

But, as it turns out, the main focus of the film is something else. The entire sand mafia bit, we learn, is not even close to being as important as Daada's other trade — of proliferating casteism and the ‘purity’ associated with it. Daada is a proud ‘upper’ caste man and is willing to go to any length to protect the sanctity of the caste hierarchy, but all hell breaks loose when his own daughter Bhoomi falls in love and elopes with a boy of a lowered caste. A few scenes earlier, the young couple, posing as orphans, would have sought Gurudev’s help to get married. So when the truth comes to light, the supercop finds himself in a whole lot of trouble. 

This, for me, came as an exciting deviation from the usual ‘one man v/s a nexus’ kind of setup. Sure, the idea of dealing with centuries-old social hierarchy is an incredibly tougher task, but when pitted against such invisible forms of evil, the hero of the film emerges as more human and relatable. Dhananjaya, the actor, too, refrains from silly posturing and instead gets a good grasp of the tone of his character and the circumstances around him, while simultaneously finding ways to exude badassery. The same scenario, of the couple eloping, also allows for the story to seem more multidimensional and it's rare to find a ‘mass’ mainstream movie that treads that path.

Does that mean Gurudev Hoysala is near perfect? Of course not. In an attempt to juggle a sensitive cause, the idea of justice, a whole range of heroes and villains, and so much more, Vijay N loses grip and comes off as a little confused. The confusion is visible in how the mass moments pounce at us out of nowhere, half the time not really making much sense. Yes, there is something to savour in these scenes, but the sudden shift in tone is not handled skilfully. 

Sometimes, it's the incessant need to keep the hero at the forefront of things and at other times it's the lack of innovation in writing, which makes the resolution to the extremely profound problem a little banal and boring. Gurudev's speech in the concluding moments of the film about the role of police in society and how it's a thankless job is a done-to-death routine and the film could have definitely benefited without it.

As a big screen experience, Gurudev Hoysala boasts many exciting and intriguing moments that make the visit to a cinema hall a worthwhile one. The music, the cinematography, and the editing could have been a lot better and more enterprising, but the focused storytelling suffices just enough. Performance-wise the film lends a great platform to more than just one character to blossom, but better writing would have brought more characters to life. In internet-speak, fans will cherish the film and so will those who are waiting to watch a decent big-ticket Kannada film in a theatre. The shortcomings can be ignored, as long as you do not set your expectations too high. 

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.

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Gurudev Hoysala

Gurudev Hoysala: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 30 March 2023
• Language Kannada
• Genre Action, Crime, Thriller
• Cast Daali Dhananjaya, Amrutha Iyengar, Naveen Shankar, Achyuth Kumar, Avinash BS, Anirudh Bhat, Mayuri Nataraj, Rajesh Nataraj
• Director Vijay Naagendra
• Writer Vijay Naagendra
• Cinematography Karthik S
• Music Ajaneesh Loknath
• Producer Karthik Gowda, Yogi G Raj
• Production KRG Studios

About Gurudev Hoysala Movie (2023)

When an upright police officer (Dhananjaya) is transferred to Athani to investigate the case of a missing fellow officer, it doesn’t take him long to realise that the issue is trickier than it appears.

Gurudev Hoysala Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

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Gurudev Hoysala Twitter Review: Dhananjaya's Action Crime Thriller Sets Great Expectations!

The movie 'Gurudev Hoysala' is releasing as the 25th movie of Dhananjaya. The film is releasing today (March 30, 2023) with a commercial aspect focusing on the border issue. This movie, which has already created some buzz through the song, teaser and trailer, sets great expectations with the promotion as well. This movie has been watched by Kiccha Sudeep already.

Produced under KRG Studios banner, 'Gurudev Hoysala' is directed by Vijay Naagendra. This is Dhananjay's second movie with this production house. Earlier, Ratnan Munchha was also produced by Karthik Gowda and Yogi G Raj under the same KRG Studios banner. Now it is the turn of the Hoysalas. The film is made in the vein of the language of North Karnataka. Fans are requesting the makers to not cut any bad words that were present in the trailer.

Actor Sudeep continues to give his best support to new endeavors related to cinema. Now the Hoysalas have also got that cooperation. A day before the release of the movie i.e. yesterday (March 29), the film team showed the movie to Sudeep. He appreciated the movie to the core. Sudeep also congratulated the film team.

This is a pure commercial movie with a social message, directed by Vijay. The film has music direction by Ajanish Loknath. Amrita Iyengar appeared as a pair for Hoysala, Achyut Kumar, Naveen Shankar, Avinash, Pratap Narayan, Rajesh Nataranga, Nagabhushan and others acted in this film.

Recently Kichcha Sudeep spoke about Dhananjay and Amrita at the Hoysala trailer launch event. "Amrita came on stage and talked about Dhananjay without talking much about the movie. I don't know if you were praising the role or personally. But you are very happy. Even though you said all this, Dhananjay didn't say anything about you. I felt a little sad. Dhananjay looks good on this stage."

In response, Dhananjay said, "Me and Amrita have done three movies together." As he said, Sudeep intervened and asked Amritha, "Why are you only acting with Dhananjay?" "Instead, sir.. ask the director and producer," said Dhananjay.

"Give dates to other artists, do films with others. If you have done three films with Dhananjay, how can anyone else get your dates? Well, Dhananjay is not praising you for all this. If you worked with us, he would have praised you for half an hour," Kichcha Sudeep said.

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Home » News » Gurudev Hoysala Twitter review: ‘Daali Dhananjaya is lit; but Naveen Shankar steals the show’, rave netizens »

Gurudev Hoysala Twitter review: ‘Daali Dhananjaya is lit; but Naveen Shankar steals the show’, rave netizens

The first reviews of the Natarakhasa’s milestone 25th are in and audiences are loving it

• Team OTTplay

Last Updated: 12.43 PM, Mar 31, 2023

Daali Dhananjaya’s milestone 25th film, Gurudev Hoysala opened in theatres today amid stiff competition from biggies like Dasara, Pathu Thala, and Bholaa, with Viduthalai Part 1 expected to join in tomorrow. The film, a hardcore action entertainer directed by N Vijay Kumar, has an ensemble cast including Amrutha Iyengar, Naveen Shankar, Pratap Narayan, Achyuth Kumar, among others. The earliest shows for the KRG Studios production, began at 9 am today, and the first reviews have been trickling in.

Audiences who have seen Dhananjaya’s film are absolutely loving the film and his performance, but the stand-out performer, they reckon, is Gultoo fame Naveen Shankar as Bali, the main antagonist in the tale. Some viewers opined that Naveen’s entry in the film was even better than that of Dhananjaya as Gurudev.

Comments have been ranging from, “Very engaging. Good characterisation, intros and intriguing plot. Daali as Gurudev is too good, but it’s the Gultoo’s Naveen Shankar as Bali who’s giving the kick. Dialogues & sublot nicely handled.. Interval fight was MASS...…”, “1st Half is filled with A mixture of Mass, Class, Love, Aggression, Emotion”, “#GurudevHoysala First half anthu sakkath aagi idhe. @Nwinshankar The next big thing in our Industry for sure,” “First half review #GurudevHoysala, engaging and mass first half, director has blended commercial and social elements. Interval fight scene mathe face off between daali and avinash sir main highlight. Hoysala= Daali in uniform”, to “It's @Dhananjayaka one man show, NataRakshaka apt & @AJANEESHB BGM top notch. #NaveenShankar is a brilliant actor he deserves a better position in KFI& his dialogue lit& perfect watch for #RamNavami.”

In the run-up to the film’s release, netizens had lamented the lack of buzz surrounding the film and were hopeful that positive word of mouth will turn the tide around for Gurudev Hoysala. If the reviews are anything to go by, it looks like the film will be able to put up a fight against the other big releases of the week after all.

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‘Trap’ Review: Pop Goes the Thriller

Josh Hartnett stars as a father with a secret in this M. Night Shyamalan film set at a concert.

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By Amy Nicholson

“Dad, this is the literally the best day of my life,” the teenager Riley (Ariel Donoghue) beams to her doting father, Cooper (Josh Hartnett), in the opening minutes of M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap.” That feeling won’t last — but for the first half of this mischievous thriller, we’re also having fun.

Riley is ecstatic to have stadium floor seats for her favorite pop icon, Lady Raven (Saleka). The child’s attention is on the stage. Ours is on her father who is having visible difficulty concentrating on the show. He’s clocking the cameras, the exits, the unusual number of cops, the no-nonsense F.B.I. profiler (Hayley Mills) muttering into her walkie-talkie. The police are hunting a serial killer named the Butcher, but all they’ve got to go on is that he’s a middle-aged man in this majority girl crowd. Underneath the thumping bass and the squeals, Shyamalan wordlessly clues us in that the unassuming Cooper is also a slayer desperate to escape.

Instead of telegraphing evil, Hartnett cranks up that gee-willikers likability that once trapped him as one of Hollywood’s factory-stamped generic leading men. At his most devilish, he’s all apple cheeks, grinning so amiably that a merch salesman (Jonathan Langdon) reveals that the Butcher has his own obsessives. When no one’s watching, Cooper’s eyes narrow at whatever is on his mind. Should he pull the fire alarm? Slip through the hydraulic lift in the floor? Can his daughter tell he’s acting weird?

It takes cleverness and control to pull off this unspoken tension. Shyamalan boasts the former and feigns the latter for a while before his hotdogging impulses take over. He’s like a guy who karaokes Hitchcock and then starts ad-libbing his own tune. We’re never onboard with the premise that a 20,000-plus crowd is the perfect place to arrest an unknown man. But we’re willing to play along until it starts to feel like Shyamalan so enjoys being inside Cooper’s head that he doesn’t want to leave. One fairly satisfying ending launches into encore after encore, with Shyamalan holding court past the time the audience is antsy to wrap up.

The plot is at its best when it’s simply a dad, a daughter and the puzzle he must solve to stay in her life. Hartnett and Donoghue have an affectionate, believable chemistry that’s boosted by the young actor’s natural charm — she doesn’t hit a phony note. To root for Riley’s happiness means rooting for Cooper’s, so every so often, particularly after we’ve cheered his latest brazen bit of genius, we’re reminded there’s a victim (Mark Bacolcol) handcuffed in his murder house. Worse, whenever Cooper needs a diversion, he’s willing to send a stranger’s daughter to the E.R.

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