'Adhyaksha in America' review: Sharan's comedy is mindless, formulaic

This is a remake of the 2015 Malayalam film 'Two Countries'.
'Adhyaksha in America' review: Sharan's comedy is mindless, formulaic
'Adhyaksha in America' review: Sharan's comedy is mindless, formulaic
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Adhyaksha in America, directed by Yoganand Muddan, is not a sequel to Sharan's hit film Adhyaksha. There is no connection or continuation to the first part. This is a remake of the 2015 Malayalam film Two Countries, which was also remade in Telugu with Sunil in the lead.

A remake film comes with its own pros and cons. With a number of online streaming platforms making their way to every household, there are chances that many people would have already seen the original. That said, the onus is on the filmmakers to weave a tale taking only the important elements from the original and fashioning it to suit the sensibilities of its audience. A too-faithful remake – meaning frame-to-frame copy – is sure to disappoint the audience.

Adhyaksha in America is one such remake.

Ullas (Sharan) is a wastrel and an opportunist. He tries to milk money from every move he makes in life. Ullas contests elections in his village and wins, no guesses here. When he agrees to marry a woman with disability for money, a misunderstanding brings him an even rich proposal from the US. Money-minded Ullas jumps the gun and without much deliberation, marries Nandini (Ragini Dwivedi) and takes off to the US. But Nandini’s true avatar brings him to his knees.

Many people play several tricks to make a living, but there are some who live only to play tricks on others – this is the opening line of the film and the rest of the movie is all about such tricks, with plenty of mindless ones too. The wafer-thin plot and old-fashioned style of storytelling makes it very average fare that offers no surprises.

Adhyaksha in America, a dramedy, thoroughly follows the formula – clichéd sequences, senseless blabber, counter dialogues, over the top characterisation and dialogues that reek of prejudices. There are also lots of innuendo-filled lines. Although humour is Sharan's forte, it is unfortunate that comedy these days is so sexist, racist and creatively limited, that you are often left wondering if you should laugh at the joke or your decision to have watched the film. A decade ago, such humour was considered acceptable but the Kannada industry should seriously wake up and move on with the audience. 

If you are here after Adhyaksha, you are sure to miss Chikanna. It feels as though Shivaraj’s character was, in fact, written for Chikanna. The second half, set in the US, sees Sharan teaming up with Sadhu Kokila and Rangayana Raghu. Though they all seem to have done justice to their roles, the film lacks originality. Ragini Dwivedi as an alcoholic delivers an uneven performance. Tabla Nani gets his trademark drunken master role; Prakash Belavadi and Tarak Ponappa spring a surprise but their roles are too short to be memorable.

V Harikrishna’s music is strictly average though the 'Amma Naa Saleaade' song from Kashinath’s film is used at the right time and is sure to make you nostalgic. Overall, the film offers nothing new and may please only Sharan's fans.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.

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