Desai Review: A Stale Story That Fails to Deliver

Praveen, a benevolent hero, saves his village’s reputation by winning a wrestling competition, bringing him closer to the villagers and the Desai family, who are renowned for helping farmers during a severe famine. Praveen falls in love with Anupama (Radhya), a yoga practitioner and the daughter of a priest, and becomes close to Dasharatha Desai, the head of the Desai family.

As Praveen adjusts to village life, he learns the traditional oil-making process, the Desai family’s main occupation. A selfless protagonist, he works tirelessly for peace and unity within the family, who have been living separately due to internal conflicts.

Set in North Karnataka, “Desai” combines elements of family, action, and revenge. However, the simple and outdated storyline, coupled with lackluster execution and a slow-paced narration, hampers the film’s progress. The use of the North Karnataka dialect adds some authenticity but isn’t enough to hold the story together.

In his second outing after “Love 360,” Praveen shines in his role, showing promise as a good actor. Radhya also delivers a commendable performance. Despite their efforts, “Desai” falls short of keeping the audience engaged and could have been much better with more effective storytelling.