Line Man Review: The Emotional Current of ‘Line Man’ !

Cast: Thrigun, Kaajal Kunder, Jayashree, Harini Srikant, and others.

Director: V. Raghu Shastry

Music: Manikanth Kadri

Cinematographer: Shanti Sagar H.G.

Producer: Ganesh Papanna

Release Date: 22-03-2024

In the latest film “Line Man” directed by Raghu Shastry, starring young hero Thrigun and Kaajal Kunder as the lead pair, it was produced under the banner of Purple Rock Entertainers. The film unit has stated that this movie is based on a real incident that happened in Kerala. Released simultaneously in Telugu and Kannada languages today, how did this film turn out? Did it manage to impress the audience? Or not? Let’s examine this in this review.

What’s the Story?

Nataraj alias Nattu (Thrigun), whose father worked as a lineman in the electricity department, inherits his job after his sudden death. Consequently, the responsibility of electricity supply in the village falls into Nattu’s hands. During this time, he suggests to the villagers to celebrate the 100th birthday of the village deity, Devudamma (B. Jayashree), on a grand scale. The villagers agree and start the preparations. However, they are shocked when Nattu suddenly refuses to provide electricity. Why did Nattu do that? What’s Devudamma’s reaction? What caused Nattu to cut off the electricity for several days? Did he eventually restore electricity to the village? To know, one must watch the film on screen.

How did they Perform?

Hero Thrigun perfectly fits into the role of a lineman. As a villager, his natural appearance and expressions were captivating. Heroine Kaajal Kunder, as Devudamma’s granddaughter, was okay but her role lacked importance. B. Jayashree, as the 99-year-old Devudamma, delivered an outstanding performance, becoming the film’s focal point. Supporting actors like Niviksha Naidu and Harini Srikant, among others, performed well within their roles.

How’s the Direction?

Director Raghu Shastry chose an interesting story for the film. In times when people can hardly bear a power cut for an hour, he explored the scenario of a village facing several days without electricity. The director visually presented the life of village residents and their psyche. He showed how people in villages coped during nights without electricity. A strong reason must be shown for the villagers to adapt to the absence of electricity, and the director managed to convey this emotionally. However, a bit more care in the screenplay would have been better, as some scenes felt dragged. The movie’s short duration worked in its favor. As a director, Raghu Shastry made a decent attempt in his first venture.

Technically Speaking

On the technical front, the team performed well. Cinematographer Shanti Sagar H.G. beautifully captured the village scenes. Manikanth Kadri’s music was good, especially his background score for the emotional scenes added value. The production values were high, showing no compromise on the budget.