'Man of the Match' review: Entertaining dramedy, predictable plot though
Man of the Match has finally hit the OTT space. Backed by Puneeth Rajkumar, the D Satya Prakash-directorial is the best from the deal the late superstar's PRK Productions had struck with Amazon Prime Video in January. The other films were the disappointing One Cut Two Cut and Family Pack. Man of the Match stars Nataraj S Bhat and Dharmanna Kadooru. Here's our review.
Man of the Match revolves around a rookie director Nataraj (Bhat) who has failed as an actor and now wants to helm his first movie. His friend Dharmanna (Kadooru) agrees to bankroll the film. But, he in unaware that Nataraj has interesting ways of going about the movie. For instance, he starts the production process even without the knowledge of the other crew members!
The strongest highlights of this film are its unique plot and brilliant actors. Bhat as Nataraj aces the role, while Dharmanna scores brownie points for his casual counters. These scenes have given the film a comedic outlook. Also, the cameo appearance of composer Vasuki Vaibhav right at the beginning has added charm to the movie and given it the much-needed nudge to take off.
Despite being a fun ride, the predictability of this Kannada film's narrative brings its value down. For example, when Nataraj repeatedly insists his crew members capture the audition rounds, we understand what he's trying to say and this reveals the plot. So, when makers disclose that the audition is the actual shooting, it does not surprise us. Also, the character of Bhushan is irritating.
If you brush off the predictable narrative, you may enjoy this film on a lazy weekend. The irresistible 'silly jokes' splashed all over the dramedy make you chuckle. So in gist, Man of the Match might not be a must-watch, but it has the potential to freshen you up and that's big. Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars. It's available on Amazon Prime Video.
