It is a bow Wow experience
Film: 777 Charlie
Director: Kiranraj K
Duration: 166 minutes
Cast: Charlie, Rakshit Shetty, Sangeetha Sringeri, Raj B Shetty, Danish Sait
Stars: 4
“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn’t a dog.”
A lonely factory worker who has no purpose in life beyond his work, cigarettes, idlis and beer, embarks on an emotional roller-coaster journey of friendship, love and bonding with a Labrador.
Rakshit Shetty as that factory worker and Charlie the Labrador make this a 166-minute long experience that ceases to be a mere cinematic experience. This is life and what makes us human.
Animals in Indian films are restricted to the revenge seeking female snakes, elephants as a hero’s bodyguard and more frequently the faithful dog chipping in in a fight. With 777 Charlie, director Kiranraj K breaches new ground and explores that aspect of the human-animal story which we always wanted to see in films but never had the opportunity till now. Yes, this film is not just special in Kannada; it is a landmark, for its content, in the Indian film context too.
The first half of the film is a comedy drama involving Charlie and Dharma (Rakshit Shetty). It is a laugh riot and the experience of having the whole theatre laugh simultaneously has to be experienced to understand. It was a long time ago this happened. The second half is more emotional as the human who has lost all his family finds not just a companion but a family member. Well, the dog being a dog could not have given anything but love in return.
The emotional bonding between the two, predictably starts with the comedy, turns to emotional heart-melting incidents and finally to a tear-jerking climax. A few scenes in the film are repetitive but the delightful journey makes everything worthwhile.
The production values of this film are the best money and talent put together could provide. It is top notch and 777 Charlie a very good contribution to the Indian film world from Sandalwood.
The performances are beyond applause. Rakshit and Charlie both deliver award-winning performances. Every character is neatly etched by Kiranraj and you can see that in the performances of the actors be it Raj B Shetty or Sangeetha Sringeri.
777 Charlie could not have arrived at a more appropriate time. This is one of the finest moments for the Kannada film industry. Kudos to the entire team for their conviction and determination in what they have achieved.
S Shyam Prasad