If the presence of anger, violence and blood shed could assure a film it's success that Nammanna ought to be a runaway hit. It would have, but only if the film had something new to offer. What's seen on the screen is the same old emotional saga and the most predictable turn of events that leaves the audience reeling out what the next scene was going to be.
And keeping with the trend of all the action oriented films that seem to have been made in the Kannada film industry in the recent past, Nammanna is just an extension of an already over done role of the innocent and sincere guy turning to violence for the sake of justice. In the film, you have actor Sudeep, who initially comes across as a docile sort of fellow who just transforms into this image of a hero the very moment he sights blood on his younger brother. Almost seems like a case of split personality... but not quite! When his (Sudeep's) younger brother is murdered by the villains only because he happened to be the only witness to another murder, the hero takes on a brand new image of the `revenge seeker'.
Timely support by neighbours and a cop (Avinash) helps the actor escape having to be locked behind bars. But that only makes him the messiah for social and public justice. The hero's love for the people who are in great need of justice becomes his only goal in life, and with this his wife (Anjala Zaveri) and his son too become insignificant.
The songs... well, for a story like this, exotic shooting locations abroad were totally uncalled for. The songs are great. One does see a rerun of a different sort of version of the 'Govinda' chants that were heard in the Hindi film Sarkar. Only here, the chants were for 'Nammanna'.
All in all, Nammanna is a tailor-made film for actor Sudeep. Though, we must add that the actor has given some excellent performances. Flora Shiane too plays a special and significant role that has been executed pretty well. Sadhu Kokila's humour is good in parts and over exaggerated in others. In his Kannada debut, Hyderabad-based director Shankar has proven his directorial talents, but has failed to pay attention to the storyline which proves to be the weak point in the film.
