The many shades of love

Ishtakamya

stays true to

Nagathihalli Chandrashekar

. Or the director has stayed true to his kind of film making. The film takes its own time to settle down. Then there is a twist at the break and a completely different story after that. And again, at the very end, Nagathihalli tries to choose between carving out a bold ending or falling into the commercial trap. He chooses the latter.

Ishtakamya is a love triangle, and this is the twist at the interval (if you had not already realised by the presence of two leading ladies). A doctor and his patient fall in love. Songs in beautiful locations follow. The director adds his pet technique of sprinkling localised dialects and local rituals. Then enter the 'other' woman. The second half of the film has a much better combination of emotions. The emotional upheavals of complicated relationships are narrated as a matter of fact.

Though there is enough meat in the story (adapted from a novel), the film has a serialised effect. A much sharper and faster narrative could have made the film compelling. Things that could be left alone to be understood are fleshed out without reason. Many times the dialogues are too sophisticated to have a natural feel.

The melodies by Ajaneesh Loknath and the excellent cinematography by Ravi Kumar Sana are the highlights of the film. Vijay, Mayuri and Kavya, the three main actors have performed to perfection. That is what makes the film believable. When it comes to narration, the director sticks to the old formula. Compulsory comedy tracks, an unrelated sub-plot are all there. Ishtakamya is definitely better than the director's last three films (Olave Jeevana Lekkachaara, Nooru Janmaku and Breaking News) but it is nowhere near his best.