<p>Raghu Shastry’s ‘Lineman’ revolves around a quote by the famous American brain coach and writer Jim Kwik — “If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. But if it’s broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things begin on the inside.”</p>.<p>Shastry uses electricity and eggs to drive home a point that protection should matter, not destruction.</p>.<p>‘Lineman’ deals with the side effects of technology on villages and the significance of living in harmony.</p>.<p>Set in Chandakavadi, a quaint village, the flick tells the story of Nataraj (Thrigun), a lineman. The narrative takes an interesting turn when villagers plan to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sharadamma, a midwife, revered for her services. A power outage disrupts the celebration and tension escalates when Nataraj refuses to restore the power supply.</p>.<p>What compels him to disconnect power supply? How do villagers respond to the unexpected development? Shastry convincingly answers these questions. He deftly handles a narrative that comprises many subplots. It seamlessly blends artistic and commercial elements.</p>.<p>The flick is food for thought for a population addicted to social media, smart phones and TV serials.</p>.<p>Each of the subplots has a powerful message – from an individual trying to save sparrows; a childless couple and a hormonal young duo to a husband, who is a victim of his wife’s television addiction; to a leader whose father was a philanthropist.</p>.<p>At times, it feels stretched. Three boys visiting neighbouring villages for updates on their favourite soap operas seems far-fetched.</p>.<p>However, the film’s ability to seamlessly blend heartwarming moments with an intriguing storyline transforms it into a great watch.</p>.<p>Manikanth’s music, Shanti Sagar’s cinematography and Raghunatha’s editing deserve a mention.</p>.<p>Thrigun and B Jayashree deliver a nuanced performance. All other artistes have done justice to their roles.</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Lineman Kannada (Theatres) Director: Raghu Shastry Cast: Thrigun Kaajal Kunder B Jayshree Harini Shreekanth Niviksha Naidu Sujay Shastry Apporva Rating: 4/5</p>
<p>Raghu Shastry’s ‘Lineman’ revolves around a quote by the famous American brain coach and writer Jim Kwik — “If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. But if it’s broken by an inside force, life begins. Great things begin on the inside.”</p>.<p>Shastry uses electricity and eggs to drive home a point that protection should matter, not destruction.</p>.<p>‘Lineman’ deals with the side effects of technology on villages and the significance of living in harmony.</p>.<p>Set in Chandakavadi, a quaint village, the flick tells the story of Nataraj (Thrigun), a lineman. The narrative takes an interesting turn when villagers plan to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sharadamma, a midwife, revered for her services. A power outage disrupts the celebration and tension escalates when Nataraj refuses to restore the power supply.</p>.<p>What compels him to disconnect power supply? How do villagers respond to the unexpected development? Shastry convincingly answers these questions. He deftly handles a narrative that comprises many subplots. It seamlessly blends artistic and commercial elements.</p>.<p>The flick is food for thought for a population addicted to social media, smart phones and TV serials.</p>.<p>Each of the subplots has a powerful message – from an individual trying to save sparrows; a childless couple and a hormonal young duo to a husband, who is a victim of his wife’s television addiction; to a leader whose father was a philanthropist.</p>.<p>At times, it feels stretched. Three boys visiting neighbouring villages for updates on their favourite soap operas seems far-fetched.</p>.<p>However, the film’s ability to seamlessly blend heartwarming moments with an intriguing storyline transforms it into a great watch.</p>.<p>Manikanth’s music, Shanti Sagar’s cinematography and Raghunatha’s editing deserve a mention.</p>.<p>Thrigun and B Jayashree deliver a nuanced performance. All other artistes have done justice to their roles.</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Lineman Kannada (Theatres) Director: Raghu Shastry Cast: Thrigun Kaajal Kunder B Jayshree Harini Shreekanth Niviksha Naidu Sujay Shastry Apporva Rating: 4/5</p>