K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018)

Chapter 1 sets the stage for a Macro level showdown in Chapter 2.

What’s Passion? To work or put efforts on something repeatedly until you get it absolutely right, which one loves and holds close to the heart without getting distracted even for a second. In one of the interviews Prashant Neel, the Director had said that he has watched KGF more than 150 times while editing. He wanted to make his KGF, a near perfect craft. While shooting, Bhuvan Gowda, the cinematographer used to carry around 40kgs of the camera and its accessories on top while canning the sequences in windy and dusty region. The gigantic sets used to come down crashing after heavy wind and rains yet the Art Director, Shivakumar used to go back in erecting the same sets as they stood earlier. Yash, used to give multiple retakes with no sign of fatigue or feeling bored in that dust bowl.

KGF will be made in two chapters. The chapter 1 is out and at the outset, it traces with pre-historical chronology world of events letting the audience know the importance of owning Gold and the battles for it. The chapter 1 deals with micro level of unorganized crime, Mafia and underworld. The Chapter 1 depicts about the greed and the race for one-up man-ship within many characters in getting the control of Goldmine, KGF. To enter into the Macro level of an orbit of world crime syndicate, one has to clear his way at the micro level. The dirt has to be cleaned to make way to the top. The chapter 1 ends at the doorstep of Chapter 2, which is meant to open for the Triangular battle between International mafia (for Gold), The interruption of India’s Govt and Rocky (who valorously emerges out of KGF slavery, as a Messiah)

The film is narrated through the author’s (Played by Anantnag) First hand experience to a News Editor (Played by Malvika Avinash) As his book gets banned by the Central Govt. He traces the journey of rocky from his birth to establishing himself as the feared crime lord from Mumbai docks to Bangalore to finally his destined place KGF. The mother sentiment is well crafted and placed appropriately throughout the film. Though the story line is predictable and replicates Ugramm template. In KGF also just like Ugramm, many characters get introduced and thus challenges one’s memory to remember the count of characters. Yash’s introduction in an elaborated action sequence keeps everyone engaged and makes glued to the screen. KGF falters at few places in the first half. Yash-Srinidhi scenes could have been better. The army of supporting characters may be revealed more in the Chapter 2. It’s the second half, which meets the expectation and ends with retaliating climax, leaving multiple threads open only to be tied later in Chapter 2 on another day.

KGF, from start to finish, is full of high octane action sequences, The dialogues are sharp and effective, Music is average, but gets compensated through an outrageous BGM (some influence from the soundtrack of Hams Zimmer’s “The Oil”(Dunkirk).

On Technical front: The captain of KGF mines, Prashant Neel, the Director should take a bow for bringing his vision on screen. Editing is very sharp, multiple scenes are played parallel and also intellectually blurred at few places to showcase that the character had no idea about the things to come. Ravi Basrur’s music is a downer, but his BGM raises the milieu in all the sequences. The cinematography by Bhuvan Gowda is top-notch and world class (he will get all the awards if nominated functions PAN India level in 2019). The never say die attitude of Art Director Shivakumar should get all the accolades for erecting such massive sets of mines, in the midst of the dust bowls. KGF has used 90% of sets and just 10% of VFX for filming. KGF- Chapter 1 sets the stage for a macro-level showdown in chapter 2.