Lucia

Oh my god what a movie! and Why don't these movies come into the mainstream cinema? and if i'm correct this is the first film to be "crowd funded" in India. The script is an exceptional one and the way it is executed takes the cake! This is such a technically brilliant movie in more than one dimension; not only Editing, choreography, BGM etc.. but also the story telling is just mind blowing and the treatment of the script is fresh as a blooming flower! Although there is a clear difference between the two parallel story lines as one part is in black & white, but still the way the script is executed you should have the thinking cap on your head firmly! Last but the not least this movie would invariably become a cult classic and miss this film at your own risk because invariably there will be so many clones spewed out in the near future but it would require a touch of genius as well as madness to repeat this kind of brilliance!

One of the best movies I've watched in recent times. It keeps you engaged and guessing until the last leg of the movie after which story unravels in a coherent manner.

Screen play is terrific and songs/music are pretty impressive. Special mention needs to be done on hero of movie for his versatility - ease with which he lives in two contrasting worlds couldn't have got better. Also, Kudos to the director who has shown immense talent in depicting a complicated story line in the most lucid way possible.

Although movie will be much appreciated by viewers who understand Kannada, I believe others with help of sub titles too will find the movie a master piece.

PS: This is my first movie review online and I couldn't resist from sharing it here since for the first time I saw audience after the movie clapping in admiration.

Watched the much awaited, much hyped, crowd funded Kannada film "Lucia". Was/Is it worth the hype? Why did it win the audience award? Read on!!

I have been following on this film right from its initial days. Probably a time-line which goes couple of years back. There were many positives as well as fears on the process of how this film was made. Many in my friends circle doubted about the film but they wanted the process of crowd funding to succeed. But i stuck myself on the aspect of how this film will come-by as an end product and how it will look like on the silver screen. I have had little bit conversation on Lucia with Pawan before and for me thriller is one genre if not made well, immediately gets me angry, dissatisfied and feel like being cheated. Pawan Kumar surprised me today with Lucia. He exceeded my expectation. Its not about the process of crowd funding nor the stars who came to watch this but the film itself is so brilliant that my eyes went moist just because of the joy of cinema. Believe me i mean it when i state that this kind of film script attempt has never ever been tried before, forget about Sandalwood, not even in Tollywood or Bollywood. Pawan will be envied as a filmmaker as he has raised his bar too high and it will be challenging for him and interesting for us to see how he breaks this bar with his next ventures.

"Lucia" is path-breaking. There are no big stars in the film but it works because of the strong script, the twisted narration, outstanding cinematography (every frame was magical), honest performances by the entire star-cast no matter they played major or minor roles. Technically this is extremely well handled film. Even the art direction is brilliant. I do not have to say about the music as it is already popular. One important aspect about songs is that the songs fit in sync with the script. It is hard to get a sync of song and the script. Only a thoughtful filmmaker can handle this efficiently.

If you still think that this did not convince you here are more reasons on why you should watch this film. - You like movies by Chris Nolan (Inception),David Fincher (Fight Club), Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Diparadiso), Alejandro Amenabar (Open Your Eyes) then Lucia is a must watch. - You follow world cinema and appreciate thrillers then here is an Indian regional movie of that caliber. You ought to try this one. It has English subtitles so it should not matter for you the fact that this is a Kannada or regional film. - You like to be surprised while you watch a movie then do watch this. This is not an edge of seat thriller but a profound and surreal psychological thriller. - This is a "bring your brain to theater" movie very much in contrast to Rohit Shetty / SRKs Chennai Express.

I have not mentioned anything about the story-line as i want you to experience "Lucia", the ALTERNATE KANNADA CINEMA all by yourself.

#Lucia - People who have watched #Inception are saying that Lucia is India's own Inception but I say ' there is only one Lucia in the whole world and it is original '. Inception was about ' a dream within a dream ' but Lucia is about ' lucid dreaming ' so there is no way that these both EPIC movies can be weighed on the same scale because it would seem a stubborn act. #PawanKumar is a man who stands in a league where #ChristopherNolan #StevenSpielberg etc stand, for me. Even if you want to try finding flaws in this movie it is 'Mission Impossible', Pawan Kumar should be an inspiration to the whole industry, he has come out of the box of the age old Indian movie formulas and has done a film that stands unique in the whole world (at least what I know of). You reach out for the characters in the movie and that is something great. He makes the people think, 'what you think is a dream is actually a reality but what you think is reality is actually a dream'. You will be 'Mind Fu..ed'. Pawan Kumar, he with his film and his team need to be nominated to the #OSCARS (am not here to over exaggerate). No wonder it won an award at The London Indian film festival. Cinematography by #SiddharthNuni needs a special mention, shot in a 5d camera, he has made an already classic script into a masterpiece movie on screen. He captures every emotions in its own shade. #PoornaChandraTejaswi the music director is a true find and is a bright prospect to the Kannada industry. He delivers justice through songs and lifts the movie to another level through his BGM which is apt to each and every scene. #NeenasamSatish - now who would have ever thought he had such wide range of emotions hidden in him as an actor? The emotions that he portrays as a normal torch guy or the way he carries the attitude of a film star is mind blowing. #ShrutiHariharan the heroine is convincing and has delivered justice to her role. #AchyuthKumar as the owner of the theater which doesn't see audience or as the manager of a film star is flawless, a true actor. Editing - don't really know him it is but gives you the feel of a Hollywood film with his cut and paste work. It goes razor sharp transporting the movie at a brisk pace so that it doesn't bore you anywhere and yet keeps the suspense going along. Now all said and done about the movie, I am gonna talk as a Kannadiga now - Saw some page today posting watch Lucia at your own risk and I like to rephrase it saying ' miss Lucia at your own risk '. ' The movie is strictly not for fools '. People who hate Kannada movies take this..!.. Finally thanks to the audience who produced this movie. Lucia - an evergreen movie . . . Lucia isn't actually a person if you think it is but it is something else, if you wanna know it watch the movie at a theater . . . The only film where I saw people clap after it ended was #Avatar after that it is only Lucia . . .

Well let me make it clear. I am a fan of any sensible cinema be it a mainstream one like Bacchan or an art-house/parallel cinema like Lucia.

I went into the theatre having almost no background information or hype and this movie pleasantly surprised me being a rarity in Kannada. Made like an edge of the seat thriller with a great twist at the end,this blink and you miss movie demands your complete attention right from the word go.Definitely not for the popcorn masala loving club sitting in the front row, one of whom who nearly got killed in the interval for recommending this to his friends!

In case you do want to know about the story, its about a common man who takes a pill called Lucia sold to him as a dream pill and his journey through it.

The director needs to be commended to have taken this challenge and its worth a watch just for his efforts to bring a difficult script come alive almost near perfection.The technical aspects are A class, comparable to any Hollywood creation, the non linear editing, the colors, the camera-work, cinematography and music (which surprisingly strikes a cord with the audience)

Not to forget the earnest performances by the entire star cast especially Satish Neenasam who is completely believable as Nikki.

The only pitfalls in the movie come (after the exhilarating 1st half)in the early to mid part of 2nd half when the script gets repetitive and tends to drag the movie and the climax where its not clear what makes the hero come to terms with reality.

That apart, this movie is ground breaking in many ways and its heartening to watch such stuff on the big screen which was probably unimaginable a few yrs ago. Do not miss it!