Kannada Movie Review-Langoti Man: Tradition vs. modernity

Langoti Man is Sanjotha’s second movie as a director after Mirchi Mandakki Chai that was released a decade ago. She deserves appreciation for choosing a unique subject that shows how youths from a community are desperate to liberate themselves from age-old practice of wearing kaupina (loincloth) and eager to wear modern underwear.

The movie revolves around Thathachar (Dheerendra S) and his grandson Theerthakumar (Akash Rambo). While Thathachar is particular about wearing loincloth, Theerthakumar hates to follow the tradition and craves for expensive branded underwear, including imported underwear.

Theerthakumar hates loincloth for this reason – an unfortunate incident took place during his childhood where his friends remove his loincloth to keep stolen mangoes. He used to get his father’s support whenever his grandfather insisted that he wear a loincloth. After his father passes away, he has no option but follow his grandfather’s advice.

Meanwhile, he happens to meet Nabha (Sneha Kushi), the daughter of a police inspector. Nabha accidentally drops her mobile phone into a water sump. As he tries to retrieve it, she gives him a compliment because of which he starts falling for her. What happens to them and his struggle to come clean out of a criminal case is what Langoti Man is all about.

As far as the performances of the actors are concerned, Akash Rambo had excelled as Theerthakumar. Sneha Kushi, as a fashionista, is convincing. Dheerendra S, as a traditional priest, has acted well. A few dialogues between the grandfather and the grandson are not apt in a movie meant for family audiences. The other problems of this movie are its runtime and subplots.

Had the director reduced the run time by 20 to 25 minutes and avoided unnecessary subplots, the movie would have been good entertainment.