Ninna Sanihake

Plot: Adithya and Amrutha fall in love after a chance meeting. What follows then is a breezy romance where they explore their relationship as they choose to live together. Will their love stand the test of time?

Review: Ninna Sanihake marks Suraj Gowda's debut as director. The film also has Dhanya Ramkumar, the first female actor from the Dr Rajkumar family, making her debut as a lead actress. There have been expectations, especially since the trailer and songs were well received. Does the film match them? To a large extent, yes. It emerges as a clean, fun entertainer with a refreshing take on modern romance.

Live-in relationships have rarely been the subject of Kannada films. Ninna Sanihake gives a fun, yet relatable, take on the journey of a couple who live together after they fall in love. Given that Bengaluru has a large demography of youngsters who move from different towns to make a career here, this story explores a facet of the city that is rarely touched upon.

What makes the tale all the more laudable is the director's handling of female characters, with a more mindful way of handling their perspectives. The story mostly revolves around the dynamics of the couple and their romantic scenes are the biggest highlight, drawing a lot of laughs. The story is a little over two-and-a half hours long, which might be a tad much, but the second half of the film makes up for this.

Suraj, as writer, director and actor, has delivered a good product. He shines in his role. Dhanya Ramkumar, in her debut film, is a revelation. She brings in freshness and her dialogue delivery and voice is her biggest asset. Also entertaining are Manjunath Hegde and Rajinikanth. The film's visuals are a treat, and Abhilash Kalathi's frames play a good part in showcasing the development of the love story. The other highlight is Raghu Dixit's music. While the songs have already been a hit, the background score uplifts the tale.

Ninna Sanihake might be a tad long, but the story is fresh, with a take of modern Bengaluru that has been missing in Kannada films.