Just Maath Maathalli (Just ಮಾತ್ ಮಾತಲ್ಲಿ)

Rating: 3/4 (A bit slow and long, but saved by a fresh script and good acting by Ramya and Sudeep)

Just Maath Maathalli (Just ಮಾತ್ ಮಾತಲ್ಲಿ) is a Kannada romantic drama directed by Sudeep, who is also the protagonist in it. The story begins on a plane with Siddharth (Sudeep) heading to Singapore in search of his lost lover Tanu (Ramya). While chatting with his inquisitive co-passenger (Rajesh) he reveals his former life as a rock star, his chance meeting with Tanu and having to leave her due to demons of his past. On landing in Singapore, Rajesh tries to help him search for Tanu. In the nailbiting climax, Siddharth finally tracks her down, but is she still in love with him?

The cinematography is lovely and the production looks are neat in Just Maath Maathalli. The music composed by Raghu Dixit has a rock flavour. However, unlike his fantastic dark music for Psycho, all the tracks here are pretty disappointing. The background score though is heart tugging in the climactic scenes. Sudeep is good as usual, except when he is wearing his stupid cap and Rajesh is charming, but quite irritating while they are on the plane. Ramya clearly stands out with a bubbly performance and evocative expressions. The chemistry between Ramya and Sudeep is great, I hope to see more movies with them. The script, written by Sudeep himself, is fresh and different, but fails in the execution. The first half at the railway station is unbearably long, slow and repetitive, reminding me of Groundhog Day. Siddharth’s former life and the search for Tanu are excellently handled and is edgy. The conclusion feels natural, but I have a feeling that it may not play well with other audience members.