The biggest secret about Jessie is out

The biggest secret about

Jessie

is finally out. Yes, as promised, it is a love tri angle, but it is also a horror film to boot. Spoiler alert: The twist at the interval is that one of the three in this triangle is a ghost. There is not much to write about the first half beyond this. Not that there have not been any such films in

Kannada

before. Neenyaare and Mandahasa are recent examples that had a ghost for a lover. It is

Pavan Wadeyar

's handling of the plot (he has also written the screenplay) that gives the film a refreshing touch.

A young doctor (Parul Yadav) agrees to visit an isolated shrine to ward off her fever. Every morning, a youth (Dhananjaya) comes up to her confessing love. Within days, she has fallen for his charm. When her parents find her a match, she desperately goes in search of her lover. The first half of the film has nothing much to offer except for the scenic locations and good tunes. Chikkanna's antics too aren't as laughter-inducing as they could've been.In the second half, it is Sadhu Kokila's act that falls apart.Then comes the twist just before the interval.

The real entertainment starts post interval. The mild horror may not be unique (Even the master of this genre, director P Vasu, and the film Apthamitra are paid homage to) but the film has a good momentum to keep the audience engaged. The ghostly lover is in no mood to let go of the girl even as her love for him (or it?) turns to aversion. The biggest support for Wadeyar is the background score. It is nothing short of brilliant. The melodious songs and the street-smart dialogue pep up the proceedings.

The three principal actors; Dhananjay as the lovelorn ghost, Parul Yadav as the vulnerable girl and Raghu Mukherjee as the susceptible husband are perfectly cast. There is no need to even mention what role Avinash plays.

In the midst of so many horror films, and right after the similar Shivalinga doing well at the box office, Jessie's timing may not be perfect. Nonetheless, it is entertaining enough and returns the bang for the buck you pay. Wadeyar proves that he has the talent to deliver great movies no matter what genre. He is truly the star of the film.