‘Gandha Gudi’ documentary review: Puneeth Rajkumar’s beautiful poem for Karnataka’s biodiversity

A year after his untimely death, Kannada icon Puneeth Rajkumar Once again slaying the big screen and presenting some emotional moments for his fans smelly doll, Appu, as he is popularly known in Karnataka, redefines the meaning of a ‘true hero’ in this film through an unforgettable journey across the breathtaking forests, oceans, flora and fauna of Karnataka. He travels the length and breadth of Karnataka, from Nagarhole to the Kali River, along with National Award-winning wildlife filmmaker Amoghavarsha.

The title of the film could not have been more appropriate. It has a long association with the prince family, and also means ‘abode of sandalwood’. When large-scale sandalwood smuggling threatened valuable forest wealth in the early 70s, actor-producer MP Shankar, known for making films on forest-related stories, produced nifty doll, A film directed by Vijay in which Dr Rajkumar played the role of an honest forest officer. The film, which was Rajkumar’s 150th film, was touted as the first Kannada mainstream film based on the concept of conservation of forests and wildlife conservation. The film became a blockbuster with a run of 25 weeks in theaters, and it spawned a sequel in 1995, titled nifty gudi part 2 In which the prince also gave a brief appearance. The sequel was also directed by Vijay, with Sivarajkumar in the lead role as a forest officer, continuing his father’s mission from the first part.

Now, through this 2022 release smelly dollViewers will get a glimpse of the real Puneet, without any glitz and glamour. Apart from this, it is also special as this will be the last time that fans will get to see Appu on the big screen. The non-fiction docu-drama follows Puneeth’s quest in Karnataka to talk about the state’s ecosystem.

Importantly, like a regular feature film, it has drama and emotion, and it entertains the audience throughout its 98-minute run. Through the lens of Prateek Shetty, Amoghavarsha shows the biodiversity wealth of Karnataka from a new perspective. He is to star, if Puneet could have made it a commercial potboiler, but this film testifies to his love and passion for only pure and honest cinema, without any commercial interest.

Starting from Nagarhole National Park, the film traverses its way like a river for a closer look at the beauty of the state. It then takes us through the Gajanuram BR Hills, Coastal Karnataka and places in the Deccan, Tungabhadra River and Malenadu. It ends at Kushavali, the birthplace of the Kali River. Both Puneet and Amoghavarsha offer visitors a closer look at beautiful natural wild places, trek through rough terrain and hear unfamiliar sounds of nature. Through his journey, visitors get a lesson or two on the urgent need to conserve natural resources and sustainable development. Importantly, the way these lessons are communicated is not didactic, but is infused with the humor for which Puneet was always known.

As expected, the centrifugal point of smelly doll is virtuous; He amazes his fans with his childlike curiosity towards nature, such as when he sees elephants and tigers roaming freely in the forest. Punit adorns every frame, be it the actual adventure or the flashback sequence.

The film can also be seen as an intimate account of two friends on a trek. Altogether, smelly doll The biodiversity of Karnataka is a visual spectacle for the visitors. Cinematographer Prateek Shetty, through his stunning visuals, and Ajneesh Loknath, with his background score, elevate the docu-drama into an epic film on the ecology of Karnataka. This is the kind of film that every child in Karnataka will remember for a lifetime. Also, it ensures that Puneet’s fans will remember the actor happily and will probably inculcate some of his qualities in their lives.

Gandha Gudi is currently running in theaters