head bush kannada movie reviews

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Political-crime drama on Bangalore Underworld based on Agni Sridhar's Autobiography "My Days in the Underworld". Political-crime drama on Bangalore Underworld based on Agni Sridhar's Autobiography "My Days in the Underworld". Political-crime drama on Bangalore Underworld based on Agni Sridhar's Autobiography "My Days in the Underworld".

• Abhishek Basanth
• Agni Sreedhar
• Payal Rajput
• 12 User reviews
• 1 Critic review

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• Rathna Prabha

• Kothwal Ramachandra
• Boxer Anthony

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• umeethecrazy
• Oct 20, 2022
• How long is Head Bush? Powered by Alexa
• October 21, 2022 (India)
• Watch Head Bush movie on ZEE5
• Daali Pictures
• Somanna Talkies
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 2 hours 18 minutes

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Head Bush Movie Review: Intense throwback to the brutal Bengaluru of the 70s

Rating: ( 3 / 5)

There are certain journeys where people find themselves in pursuit of some dishonest and unsettling goals. Head Bush tells the tale of one such man. The life of Bengaluru's first underworld don MP Jayaraj has been redefined time and again in Kannada cinema history. The latest iteration is director Shoonya's Head Bush, which is based on the book — Dadagiriya Dinagalu by Agni Sreedhar, which was translated to English as My Days in the Underworld – Rise of Bangalore Mafia . The book gives a first-hand account of the mafia world and the experiences encountered by him, and the film adapts these incidents with cinematic liberties, of course.

Director: Shoonya

Cast: Dhananjay, Yogesh, Balu Nagendra, Payal Rajput, Sruthi Hariharan

Over the last two decades, we have seen a lot of films based on the underworld like Om, Kariya, Jogi, Aa Dinagalu and Edgegarike . They are still talked about, and Head Bush is the latest film to try joining this elite list.

Head Bush is a gangster drama, which is told through Ravichandran's character, who plays a professor. The film will be out in two parts, and the first part follows the life of MP Jayaraj (Dhananjay), tracing his life from his teenage days. Surrounded by his friends, Ganga (Yogi) and Samson (Balu Nagendra), Jayaraj eventually becomes a ganglord, who is also portrayed as a Robin Hood to the people. The film takes a political turn when the mobster gang joins hands with MDN (Raghu Mukherjee) who was instrumental in forming the Indira Brigade during the tenure of Devaraj Urs (Devaraj) as Chief Minister, under the guidance of then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi (Avantika). The rest of the film follows the themes of friends turning foes, a dash of romance, a game-changing character, and the presence of a stern police officer.

Shoonya puts up a daring narration while observing caution, especially with the dialogues and violence in the big-budget film. Many characters in the film come with the names of real-life people, and Head Bush tries to stay true to the incidents of that period.

The action thriller is bloody, raw, and rustic, and it definitely engages the audience. Since the film is coming out in two parts, the makers have taken the liberty to properly pace their world building. Shoonya takes time to introduce the many characters, and that includes prominent personalities based on political honchos like R Gundu Rao, and FM Khan among others. The film also explains that the city, which we thought was built and developed by politicians, officials, and the common people, also included the underworld. We see the rise of the don MP Jayaraj in this instalment, and his fall leads to the sequel. Another highlight of Head Bush is the way the Karga culture is brought into the picture.

Head Bush boasts of a big ensemble, and each character in the film comes with shades of grey. Right from the way he looks and behaves, Dhananjay delivers an incredible performance as Jayaraj. The rest of the actors too get their required space. Yogesh and Balu Nagendra as Jayaraj's good friends nail their respective roles. Payal Rajput is charming in her Kannada debut, and Sruthi Hariharan as Rathna Prabha (Devaraj Urs' daughter) definitely needs a special mention. Vasishta Simha as Kothwal Ramachandra gets a meaty role but gets limited screen space in part 1. Poorchandra Mysuru and Roshan Bachchan also make their presence felt. Prakash Belawadi, as a police officer, and Devaraj as Chief Minister have lived up to their respective characters.

The beauty of Head Bush lies in its action sequences, while music by Charan Raj is apt for a gangster movie. Sunoj Velayudhan’s cinematography blends with the story and Badal Nanjundaswamy's artwork gives an up-close view of Bengaluru of the ‘70s period.

Overall, Head Bush highlights crime, friendship, and family, and makes for a perfect outing for lovers of gangster films.

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Head Bush Review: ಹೆಡ್‌ಬುಷ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಭೂಗತ ಲೋಕದ ಕಥೆಗೆ ಸಿನಿಮೀಯತೆಯ ಲೇಪನ

ಕ್ರಿಟಿಕ್‌ ರೇಟಿಂಗ್, ನಿಮ್ಮ ರೇಟಿಂಗ್‌, ಚಿತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ರೇಟಿಂಗ್ ನೀಡಲು ಸ್ಲೈಡ್ ಮಾಡಿ.

ಓದಲೇ ಬೇಕಾದ ಸುದ್ದಿ

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Head Bush Film Review: ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜಕೀಯ, ಸ್ನೇಹದ ಮೇಲಾಟ

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಕರಗ ಉತ್ಸವ, ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರ ಜತೆ ಸೇರಿ ಸಣ್ಣ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಗಲಾಟೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು, ತಮ್ಮ ಏರಿಯಾ ಜನರ ಪರವಾಗಿದ್ದವನು ಹೇಗೆ ಮುಂದೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಡಾನ್‌ ಆಗಿ ಮೆರೆಯಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಯಿತು ಎಂಬುದರ ಆರಂಭದ ದಿನಗಳನ್ನು ತುಂಬಾ ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ನಿರೂಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. 

ಆರ್‌. ಕೇಶವಮೂರ್ತಿ

ರೌಡಿಯಿಸಂ ಕತೆ ಎಂದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊಲೆ, ರಕ್ತಪಾತಕ್ಕೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಪ್ರಾಮುಖ್ಯತೆ ಎನ್ನುವ ಒಂದು ಊಹೆ ಇದೆ. ಆದರೆ, ರೌಡಿಯಿಸಂ ಕತೆಯಲ್ಲೂ ಪ್ರೀತಿ, ಸ್ನೇಹ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಜಕೀಯದ ಚದುರಂಗದಾಟ ಹೇಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ತಿಳಿಯಲು ‘ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ನೋಡಬೇಕು. ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಆ ದಿನಗಳು ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಪರದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿಬರುವ ಕ್ಲಾಸಿಕ್‌, ಕಲ್ಟ್‌ , ಮಾಸ್‌ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಆಗಿಸಿ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಶೂನ್ಯ ಪ್ರೇಕ್ಷಕರ ಮುಂದಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ರಾಜಕೀಯ, ರೌಡಿಯಿಸಂ, ಇವರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಸಿಗುವ ಬಡವರ ಕತೆಗಳು... ಇದು ‘ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌’ನ ಅಪರೂಪದ ಕಾಂಬಿನೇಶನ್‌. 

ದಾರಿ ತಪ್ಪುವ ಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತ, ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯ ಜನಪರ ಕಾಳಜಿ, ಬೆನ್ನ ಹಿಂದೆ ಇದ್ದವರೇ ಚೂರಿ ಹಾಕುವುದು, ಕೊನೆಗೆ ತಮ್ಮ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಗೆ ಬಡವರ ಮಕ್ಕಳನ್ನು ಅಸ್ತ್ರಗಳಾಗಿ ಬಳಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಮತ್ತು ಬೆಳೆಸುವುದು ಹೀಗೆ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ 70ರ ದಶಕದ ದಿನಗಳ ಆಟಗಳು ಒಂದೊಂದು ತೆರೆ ಮೇಲೆ ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತವೆ. ನೈಜ ಘಟನೆಗಳು ಅಷ್ಟೇ ರಿಯಾಲಿಸ್ಟಿಕ್‌ ಆಗಿ ಮೂಡಿದರೂ ಸಿನಿಮಾಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದ ತಳಹದಿ ಕೂಡ ಮಿಸ್‌ ಆಗಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬುದು ಈ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಹೆಚ್ಚುಗಾರಿಕೆ. ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಕರಗ ಉತ್ಸವ, ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರ ಜತೆ ಸೇರಿ ಸಣ್ಣ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಗಲಾಟೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು, ತಮ್ಮ ಏರಿಯಾ ಜನರ ಪರವಾಗಿದ್ದವನು ಹೇಗೆ ಮುಂದೆ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಡಾನ್‌ ಆಗಿ ಮೆರೆಯಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಯಿತು ಎಂಬುದರ ಆರಂಭದ ದಿನಗಳನ್ನು ತುಂಬಾ ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ನಿರೂಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. 

ಚಿತ್ರ: ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌

ತಾರಾಗಣ: ಧನಂಜಯ್‌, ಯೋಗೀಶ್‌, ಬಾಲುನಾಗೇಂದ್ರ, ದೇವರಾಜ್‌, ಶ್ರುತಿ ಹರಿಹರನ್‌, ಪಾಯಲ್‌ ರಜಪೂತ್‌, ವಸಿಷ್ಠ ಸಿಂಹ, ಬಾಲಾಜಿ ಮನೋಹರ್‌

ನಿರ್ದೇಶನ: ಶೂನ್ಯ

ರೇಟಿಂಗ್‌: 3

ಒಬ್ಬ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಯ ಚಿತ್ರಣದಂತೆ ಶುರುವಾಗಿ, ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಒಂದು ಕಾಲಘಟ್ಟದ ಕತೆಯಾಗಿ ಬದಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಮೂರು- ನಾಲ್ಕು ತಲೆಮಾರು ನೋಡಿರದ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಆ ದಿನಗಳ ಕತೆಯನ್ನು ‘ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌’ ತೋರಿಸುತ್ತಾ ಸಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಕಲಾ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ, ಛಾಯಾಗ್ರಾಹಣ, ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆ ಸಂಗೀತ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಪ್ರತಿ ಪಾತ್ರವನ್ನು ಪ್ರೇಕ್ಷಕರ ನೆನಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಉಳಿಯುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಬಾಲ್ಯದಿಂದಲೂ ಒರಟ ಮತ್ತು ಕೋಪಿಷ್ಠ ಎನಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಜಯರಾಜ್‌, ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಯ ಸ್ನೇಹಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದು ಇಂದಿರಾ ಬ್ರಿಗೇಡ್‌ ಕಟ್ಟಲು ಹೊರಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕರಗ ಹೊರುವ ವಿಚಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಜಗಳ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದು ಕೊಲೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಹಂತಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಿ, ಪಕ್ಷವೊಂದರ ಬಹು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಬೀಳುತ್ತದೆ. ಈ ನಡುವೆ ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬನ ಪ್ರವೇಶ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ. 

Champion Film Review: ಫೇಕ್‌ ಕರೆನ್ಸಿ ವ್ಯೂಹದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ರೀಡಾಪಟುವಿನ ಸಮರ

ಆತ ಆಗಷ್ಟೆ ನೌಕಾಪಡೆಯಿಂದ ಓಡಿ ಬಂದವನು. ಆತನೇ ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ ರಾವ್‌ ಅಲಿಯಾಸ್‌ ಕೊತ್ವಾಲ್‌ ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ. ಮುಂದೇನು ಎಂಬುದು ಚಿತ್ರದ ಕತೆ. ಕತೆಗಾರ ಅಗ್ನಿ ಶ್ರೀಧರ್‌, ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಶೂನ್ಯ ಅವರ ಶ್ರಮಕ್ಕೆ ಧನಂಜಯ್‌, ಬಾಲು ನಾಗೇಂದ್ರ, ಯೋಗೀಶ್‌ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಮೀರಿ ಜೀವ ತುಂಬಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ ಮೂವರು ಪವರ್‌ಫುಲ್‌ ಅಭಿನಯವನ್ನು ವಸಿಷ್ಠ ಸಿಂಹನ ಪಾತ್ರ ಮುಂದುವರಿಸುವಂತೆ ಘರ್ಜಿಸಿದೆ. ಆ ದಿನಗಳ ಪ್ರಭಾವಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳೇ ಎದ್ದು ಬಂದಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎನ್ನುವಂತೆ ದೇವರಾಜ್‌ ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಪಾತ್ರವನ್ನು ಪೋಷಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ‘ಹೆಡ್‌ ಬುಷ್‌’ ಒಮ್ಮೆ ನೋಡುವಂತಹ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ಎಂಬುದರಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಮಾನ ಇಲ್ಲ.

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'Head Bush' movie review: Dhananjaya excels in intense gangster drama

‘Nata Rakshasa Daali’ Dhananjaya’s Head Bush , his second outing as a producer, hit the theatres on Friday (October 21) and received a rousing welcome from the masses. The Kannada gangster drama directed by debutant Shoonya has Loose Mada Yogesh, Payal Rajput, Shruthi Hariharan, Vashishta Simha and Balu Nagendra in pivotal roles.

The film is based on the book written by Agnee Sridhar titled My Days in the Underworld , and traces the journey of don Jayaraj from his childhood days to a teenager and later a notorious rowdy in the garden city. The film is about the incidents that took place between 1974 and 1978 in Bengaluru. 

Also read: Interview | Rishab Shetty on Kantara: ‘Local is the new global’

The plot revolves around childhood friends Jayaraj (Dhananjaya), Ganga (Yogi) Samson (Balu Nagendra) and their journey with politicians in the mid and late 1970s. The gang of friends turns notorious at a young age by playing an infamous gambling game called ‘Head Bush’ and hence the title. As time passes by they are roped in by Urs (Devaraj) who plays the chief minister and Nataraj (Raghu Mukherjee) to successfully implement a political campaign called ‘Indira Brigade’ in Bengaluru at the behest of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Slow first half

Urs has more enemies than friends within his party and wants to ensure that his political campaign is successful. Jayaraj is given a free hand by the chief minister to take control over Bengaluru and, in the process, he leaves no stone unturned to ensure that he rules the entire city. He is unstoppable and goes on a killing spree throughout the first half of the film.

The first half is slow and looks like an hour-long montage that shows his rise and rise in the underworld. There are three songs in the first half and only Habibi seems to add value to the storyline. The interval block ends with an internal rift between Jayaraj and Ganga and that gives you some hope to look forward to in the second half.

Also read: Why movie-goers in Karnataka pay more to watch Ponniyin Selvan

The second half kicks off with an intense action sequence and the movie runs like a bullet train thereafter. Jayaraj and Ganga are at loggerheads and one would predict several twists in the second half, but the story sticks to rivalry between Jayaraj and Ganga and shows the extent to which they both go to keep up the rivalry. How the enmity ends makes up for the remaining part of the story.

Perfect fit for Jayaraj’s role

Head Bush is raw and rustic and the expletives in the first half would even make Sai Kumar, who was infamous for his curses in films, shy away.

Nagendra and Yogi look like Dhananjaya’s sidekicks in the first half and have very little role to play. However, the second half gives Yogi ample space to perform and he is at his career best. The face-to-face rivalry between Dhananjaya and Yogi is a treat to the mass audience.

The film has a couple of foot-tapping songs by Charan Raj and he certainly could have done better, but the BGM is top-notch and gives goosebumps in several scenes.

Dhananjaya fits perfectly into the role of Jayaraj and the actor once again proves that the Moniker Nata Rakshasa is apt. Nagendra has a lot of screen space and excels in every scene and is definitely a potential actor the Kannada industry can make use of.

Ravichandran’s cameo

Actors Devaraj, Payal, Raghu, Shruthi, Prakash Belawadi, and Vasishta have done justice to their roles. Crazy Star Ravichandran plays a cameo and one wonders what was the need for him to do the role or how he contributed to the storyline of the film.

Also read: Mangaluru Days: Why Kannada director Raj B Shetty is the talk of the country

The story of don Jayaraj and his days in the underworld have been told across media time and again. However, Shoonya chooses to pick up certain incidents from Jayaraj’s early life and makes it an interesting and intense gangster drama.

The film could have drawn the family audience if not for the over-abused expletives, but overall it’s a head for Dhananjaya’s second outing as a producer.

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'Head Bush' review: Mafia story sans thrill, tension

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Kannada (Theatres)

Director: Shoonya

Cast: Dhananjaya, Devaraj, Yogi, Balu Nagendra, Vasishta Simha

Rating: 2.5/5

The opening credits of 'Head Bush', directed by debutant Shoonya, indicate the film's intentions. Protagonist and co-producer Dhananjaya thanks people for making 'Badava Rascal' (2021) — his maiden venture as a producer — a big success. We then see a thank you note to the family members of M P Jayaraj, the gangster on whom the film is based. As expected, 'Head Bush' turns out to be a fan service exercise through a risk-free biopic.

The film begins with the formation of the Indira Brigade — a unit of overzealous youngsters in support of prime minister Indira Gandhi — in Bengaluru in the late 1960s. The man behind it is M D Nataraj (played by Raghu Mukherjee), MLC and son-in-law of noted politician and former Karnataka chief minister Devaraj Urs (essayed by Devaraj). He forges hands with a fearless M P Jayaraj (Dhananjaya), a wrestler from Thigalarapet known for his rebellious nature and miscreant activities.

'Head Bush' begins well, unravelling a dense story in a simple, unhurried manner. But soon, when you expect it to become a punchy gangster film, it settles for a tame template. Jayaraj's rise as a don and the early days of Bengaluru underworld are reduced to a series of slow-mo fights. The stylised treatment of writer and former don Agni Sreedhar's story (from his book 'My Days in the Underworld: Rise of the Bangalore Mafia) is bereft of variations.

Sreedhar excelled as a writer better in 'Aa Dinagalu' (2007), the first film adapted from the book. Of course, the film's vast story and more realistic filmmaking gave room for meaty lines and clever turns in the screenplay. But the fine world-building we saw in the KM Chaitanya film is completely absent in 'Head Bush', which surprisingly avoids its settings and its people. Apart from the Karaga portions and the costumes, the film fails to recreate the Bengaluru of the past.

There was enough scope to engage us with the political strategising and the tumultuous relationship between cops and rowdies of that period. But 'Head Bush' slogs as its focus lies on Jayaraj through the glorification lens. So much so that his team members and rivals come across as caricatures.

Balu Nagendra as Samson is an exception. He overshadows a subdued Yogi with his dialogue delivery and mannerism. Vasishta as Kotwal Ramachandra is an epic misfire, with the actor cloning his villainous portrayals in 'Tagaru' and 'KGF' films. He isn't helped by lifeless dialogues and the half-cooked characterisation.

Shoonya's direction lacks the filmmaking adrenaline needed for the genre. For an immersive, and engaging experience, I wish the camerawork was restless, and filled with some raw energy. Except for a spat between Jayaraj and his close friend Ganga (Yogi), the film doesn't have scenes that brim with solid drama or those that escalate tension. This, despite the juicy material and that tells the film's outcome in a nutshell.

Dhananjaya the actor is the film's strength as he is now a specialist in such roles. But Dhananjaya the maker isn't daring enough, perhaps too conscious of the vagaries of the film business. The actor, via his body language and dialogue, does more to the script than it does to him. Because, 'Head Bush' fails to get inside the mind of Jayaraj, who claims himself to be a victim of power abuse. Why was Jayaraj celebrated by the downtrodden? What pushed him to start a newspaper called 'Gareebi Hatao'? Was he sensitive? Did he have a strong moral stance?

Again, Sreedhar the writer was better at dwelling deep into the thought process and philosophies (relevant or not) of gangsters in 'Edegarike', narrated and presented grippingly with a low-budget verve by Sumana Kittur.

The makers stay clear of any standpoint. It's also not right to expect the entire truth in a biopic. But is it too much to ask for a team filled with potential to deliver to its fullest?

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Head Bush First Review: The Thriller Will Blow Your Mind, Says Reviewer

Head Bush's trailer has created quite a buzz for itself with its intense and violent story. The making looks sharp and the performances are understated from what we saw in the trailer.

Umair Sandhu, who is a self-proclaimed Overseas Censor Board Member and a film critic, has shared his review of Head Bush. He usually calls his review, the first review, and it comes out before the film is released. Umair has highly positive feedback for the film.

The first review he tweeted is below and he has given the film a four-star rating.

"First Review #HeadBush from Censor Board! Wooooow !!! Kannada Cinema is in Terrific form ! What an Outstanding Thriller ! @Dhananjayaka #Daali Stole the Show all the way ! Engaging Story, Rocking Background Score & Paisa Vasool Direction ! Go for it !"

"Head Bush will BLOW YOUR MIND! Whaat a film ❤️ !" He tweeted later.

The film does look quite appealing visually and appears to be a gritty gangster thriller. It's set in the retro era and the trailer shows a shot where former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (or a character that is based on her) is shown talking over the phone to a regional authority.

Head Bush stars Daali Dhananjaya, Payal Rajput as the leads. The film is written by Agni Shreedar and directed by Shoonya. Sunoj Velayudhan is the DOP, and Joseph K Raja is the editor. Charan Raj composed the film's music. The film is produced by Daali Dhananjaya, Ramco Somanna under their respective banners Daali Pictures and Somanna Talkies.

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Review| Head Bush: Intense throwback to the brutal B’lore of ’70s

There are certain journeys where people find themselves in pursuit of some dishonest and unsettling goals. Head Bush tells the tale of one such man. The life of Bengaluru's first underworld don MP Jayaraj has been redefined time and again in Kannada cinema history. The latest iteration is director Shoonya's Head Bush, which is based on the book Dadagiriya Dinagalu by Agni Sreedhar, which was translated to English as My Days in the Underworld – Rise of Bangalore Mafia.

The book gives a first-hand account of the mafia world and the experiences encountered by him, and the film adapts these incidents with cinematic liberties, of course. Over the last two decades, we have seen a lot of films based on the underworld like Om, Kariya, Jogi, Aa Dinagalu and Edgegarike. They are still talked about, and Head Bush is the latest film to try joining this elite list.

Head Bush is a gangster drama, which is told through Ravichandran's character, who plays a professor. The film will be out in two parts, and the first part follows the life of MP Jayaraj (Dhananjay), tracing his life from his teenage days. Surrounded by his friends, Ganga (Yogi) and Samson (Balu Nagendra), Jayaraj eventually becomes a ganglord, who is also portrayed as a Robin Hood to the people.

The film takes a political turn when the mobster gang joins hands with MDN (Raghu Mukherjee) who was instrumental in forming the Indira Brigade during the tenure of Devaraj Urs (Devaraj) as Chief Minister, under the guidance of then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi (Avantika). The rest of the film follows the themes of friends turning foes, a dash of romance, a game-changing character, and the presence of a stern police officer.

Shoonya puts up a daring narration while observing caution, especially with the dialogues and violence in the big-budget film. Many characters in the film come with the names of real-life people, and Head Bush tries to stay true to the incidents of that period. The action thriller is bloody, raw, and rustic, and it definitely engages the audience. Since the film is coming out in two parts, the makers have taken the liberty to properly pace their world-building.

Shoonya takes time to introduce the characters, which are based on prominent personalities and political honchos like R Gundu Rao, and FM Khan among others. The film also explains that the city, which we thought was built and developed by politicians, officials, and the common people, also included the underworld. We see the rise of the don MP Jayaraj in this instalment, and his fall leads to the sequel. Another highlight of Head Bush is the way the Karga culture is brought into the picture. Head Bush boasts of a big ensemble, and each character in the film comes with shades of grey.

Right from the way he looks and behaves, Dhananjay delivers an incredible performance as Jayaraj. The rest of the actors too get their required space. Yogesh and Balu Nagendra as Jayaraj's good friends nail their respective roles. Payal Rajput is charming in her Kannada debut, and Sruthi Hariharan as Rathna Prabha (Devaraj Urs's daughter) definitely needs a special mention. Vasishta Simha as Kothwal Ramachandra gets a meaty role but gets limited screen space in part 1.

Poorchandra Mysuru and Roshan Bachchan also make their presence felt. Prakash Belawadi, as a police officer, and Devaraj as Chief Minister have lived up to their respective characters. The beauty of Head Bush lies in its action sequences, while music by Charan Raj is apt for a gangster movie. Sunoj Velayudhan’s cinematography blends with the story and Badal Nanjundaswamy's artwork gives an up-close view of Bengaluru of the ‘70s period. Overall, Head Bush highlights crime, friendship, and family, and makes for a perfect outing for lovers of gangster films.

HEAD BUSH Director: Shoonya Cast: Dhananjay, Yogesh, Balu Nagendra, Payal Rajput, Sruthi Hariharan, Devaraj, Vaisishta Simha, Raghu Mukherjee, Prakash Belawadi, Poornachandra Mysuru Rating: 3/5

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Head Bush review: Dhananjaya’s charisma cannot save this sinking ship

Call it the KGF hangover or whatever, but Kannada cinema seems to be still reeling under the Rocky Bhai effect. In director Shoonya’s Head Bush , the narrative unfolds in the year 1974 through the spectrum of political and radical change as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi exhorts her ministers to curb feudalism in the country. Following this, we are led to the crummy streets of Bengaluru where the annual Karaga celebrations are on and a large crowd eagerly beckons the local macho man Jayaraj. There are hot embers laid out in the centre of the action, suggestive of the fuel and the drive that burn inside the protagonist, and it is a no-brainer that we are in for a majestic entry shot of the hero. In the same breath, through no deliberation whatsoever, we understand that Jayaraj will soon become the face of the social change that Madam Gandhi seeks and the same change will serve as a platform for the making of Bengaluru’s first recognised don or gangster.

Head Bush , starring Dhananjaya as MP Jayaraj, is deeply rooted in the conventions of the ‘antihero’ cinema and the makers have no qualms in announcing that emphatically. The only issue, however, is the perplexing lack of any nuance with which the vibrant, real-life story is treated and how Jayaraj, in the attempt to be eulogised, is ultimately rendered as a giant ball of mess. One will likely walk out of the cinema hall not thinking of Head Bush the film or the plot but the number of cigarette drags that Dhananjaya took through the run time.

Following PM Gandhi’s orders, then Karnataka Chief Minister Devaraj Urs sets up a unique body called Indira Brigade to try and abolish the rampant feudalism in the state. He makes his son-in-law and the visibly dicey MD Nataraj, or MDN, the state President who in turn recruits street rowdy Jayaraj to lead the front in Bengaluru. Jayaraj, grown up denigrated by society, gets into it with gusto and, with the help of his buddies, sets up a massive clan of thugs in the city to realise the mission of the Indira Brigade. “Politics is all about snatching from the rich and sharing it with the poor,” says MDN and Jayaraj becomes an embodiment of that ideology: he snatches, he cuts, but also gambles away his morality.

Head bush refers to the two sides of a coin (known as heads and tails colloquially) and was a popular gambling game in the 70s. The film also uses this as a metaphor for the moral choice that Jayaraj is compelled to make; whether he wins the game of chance or not forms the rest of the story.

The problems in Head Bush stem from Agni Sreedhar’s screenplay. As someone who has known the entire milieu and almost every character personally, Sreedhar’s latest cinematic version of his novel My Days of the Underworld is bizarrely outdated because everything in the film, be it the characters, the physical setting or the atmosphere, feels detached and inauthentic. At first glance, there’s the entire range of devices at the writer’s disposal – from the rags-to-riches narrative to moral conundrums and tender love stories – but the writing doesn’t bring it all together as though it’s part of one single journey but instead it is broken down unnecessarily as a lengthy highlight reel. Each of these highlights is a cue for cinematographer Sunoj Velayudhan to switch to slow motion and if it wasn’t for these stylised portions, the film may have ended up looking like a daily soap opera. Art director Baadal Nanjundaswamy’s conception of the world of Head Bush lacks the required depth and ambition, and despite Charan Raj scoring a most eclectic and flavourful soundtrack, the film comes across as bland.

That said, the film is mildly impactful when Shoonya unabashedly attempts to elevate his hero. Granted that almost every exposition in the film is a fight sequence but when done right and on point, they shine. But these come very sporadically and when writer Agni Sreedhar tries to fill the gaps with the emotional arcs, the narrative begrudgingly refuses to accept the incoherence. The rest of the cast, including Yogesh, Balu Nagendra, Raghu Mukherjee, Sruthi Hariharan, Devaraj and others, are impressionable in parts but do not bear any impact as an ensemble.

As much as Head Bush borrows its ethos from films like Deewar , Trishul , Ziddi or the more recent KGF: Chapter 2 and Pushpa: The Rise , the film still flounders because it doesn’t carry a clear perspective. It’s a hero-driven mass vehicle no doubt, but there is no emotional bearing to guide an inward journey, or for the audience to connect to. There’s no defined antagonism to challenge Jayaraj and though the idea of using his own assets against him does sound exciting on paper, it does not translate well onto the screen. Kothwal Ramachandra Rao (played by Vasishta N Simha), who in real life was the biggest threat to Jayaraj’s rise, is rendered as a unidimensional character who mouths silly lines, plots the most obvious schemes and twirls his moustache incessantly. It is apparent that Dhananjaya, for all his skills as an actor, is trying with all his might to keep things afloat but is ultimately weighed down by the lacklustre efforts.

Head Bush , as a film and the first episode of a potential long series, promises a lot but delivers on very, very little because the film, unfortunately, is consumed by its own lack of clarity.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew.

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Head Bush: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 21 October 2022
• Language Kannada
• Genre Biography, Crime
• Duration 2h 11min
• Cast Payal Rajput, Dhananjaya, Sruthi Hariharan, V. Ravichandran, Vasishta N. Simha, Sandy Master, Raghu Mukherjee, Yogesh, Balu Nagendra
• Director Shoonya
• Writer Agni Sreedhar
• Production Daali Pictures, Somanna Talkies
• Certificate A

About Head Bush Movie (2022)

A biopic that gives an insight into Bangalore's first underworld don MP Jayaraj, based on Agni Sridhar's autobiography, My Days in the Underworld.

Head Bush Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Head Bush Movie Trailer

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Head Bush Kannada Movie

Head Bush is a 2022 Indian movie directed by Anoop Shoonya starring Dhananjay, Payal Rajput, Balu Nagendra and Raghu Mukherjee. The feature film is produced by Dhananjay and Ramco Somanna and the music composed by Charan Raj.

Director: Anoop Shoonya Producers: Dhananjay , Ramco Somanna Music Director: Charan Raj Cinematographer: Karm Chawla Screenplay Writer: Agni Sreedhar

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‘Powder’ movie review: Diganth and a troupe of quirky characters deliver a unique dramedy

‘powder,’ starring diganth in the lead and directed by janardhan chikkanna, is helped by its eccentric characters even if the story isn’t remarkable.

Updated - August 23, 2024 07:58 pm IST

Published - August 23, 2024 05:56 pm IST

Diganth and Dhanya Ramkumar in ‘Powder’. | Photo Credit: Anand Audio/YouTube

Kannada cinema has had directors approaching comedy in different ways. If one looks at the start of the millennium, Yogaraj Bhat thrived with his refreshing dialogues that reflected the carefree attitude of youngsters. Not many could replicate the magic Bhat weaved over the college-going crowd. 

Guruprasad arrived as a surprise and gave a distinct touch to his two dark comedies starring Jaggesh:  Mata  and  Eddelu Manjunatha. In the early 90s, people enjoyed the unmistakable flavour of comedy in Anant Nag’s  Ganesha  series. And in the 80s, Kashinath made heads turn with his uncompromising approach to sex comedies.

Powder (Kannada)

Apart from some filmmakers who came as a welcome change to revive the genre, comedy in Kannada cinema in the last two decades has suffered from stereotypical handling of humour. Sadhu Kokila continues to play unbearable loud characters while not so long ago, Rangayana Raghu would get wasted in poorly-written, exaggerated humour.

The dry spell of good comedy dramas in the Kannada film industry ended with  Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare  in 2023, a campus drama that broke new grounds in production. And hot on its heels,  Powder,  directed by Janardhan Chikkanna and written by Deepak Venkateshan isn’t your regular comedy drama.

Sharmiela Mandre in ‘Powder’. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Soorya (Diganth) works at a supermarket in Mysuru, and he shares a room with Karan (Anirudh Acharya). Soorya is trying to woo back his ex Nithya (Dhanya Ramkumar), a nurse. The trio learns about the presence of drugs worth crores stuffed inside talcum powder containers inside Soorya’s store.

ALSO READ: Watch: Rangayana Raghu interview: I love roles that make me think

They decide to turn rich overnight by selling the drugs, and that brings them into confrontation with drug dealer Annachi (Rangayana Raghu) and his rival Sulemaan (Gopalkrishna Deshpande). The drug racket has an international connection, with a drug lord from China calling the shots. 

The fact that the humour is generated from the idiosyncratic behaviour of the film’s characters rather than overt reliance on dialogues is a plus. In fact, the film doesn’t go overboard with its dialogues, and Trilok Trivikram’s witty lines provide the right effect thanks to their perfect timing in the scenes. Despite suffering from a pacing issue,  Powder is never boring, and successfuly swings like a pendulum between quirky and adult comedy.

Sharmeila Mandre is striking with her action moves as ‘Makeup’ Mallika, a dangerous assassin who can kill people with makeup materials. Rangayana Raghu and Gopalkrishna Deshpande shine as the poles-apart drug dealers shine, with the former being hilarious with his Tamil-mixed Kannada.

Even if  Powder  doesn’t insult the idea of a comic caper with excessive ideas, it fails to be a laugh riot. The less-eventful first half feels like a lost opportunity, even if Diganth salvages it with his depiction of a naive youngster.  Powder  springs to life in the second half, and the episode showing the hunt for the talcum powder containers is a hoot. Nagabhushana, as the spoof of a popular Kannada YouTuber, delivers the knockout punch.

Director Janardhan Chikkanna and his technical teams triumph in the last 15 minutes. Expectedly, characters hallucinate, and bizarre things begin to unfold. The director’s visual style — helped by cinematographers Advaitha Gurumurthy and Shanthi Sagar H G — to present this psychedelic world is impressive. Even if the impact of the visual effects is a bit overwhelming, you are left astounded at the efforts behind it.

Powder is currently running in theatres

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