Malhar Picture Company, Naughty Penguins Entertainment, Beyond Imagination Films and Chrome Films Ltd.’s Kanni (Marathi; UA) is the story of an Indian girl who is desperate to live forever after in London.
Kalyani (Hruta Durgule) is an Indian girl who lives in London with three Indian friends — Soham (Shubhankar Tawde), Nisha (Vallari Viraj) and Bhushan (Rishi Manohar). She works in a café. Her mother and younger sister live in India. Since her father is dead, Kalyani’s paternal uncle wants to get her married off to anyone so that his responsibility is over. However, Kalyani is reluctant to marry anyone at all and moreover, she doesn’t want to settle in India. Since her visa would soon be expiring, she tries to hook a guy in London and marry him. She meets Nihal Hooda (Ajinkya Raut) and despite her efforts, the marriage doesn’t happen because Nihal wants to settle in India.
Kalyani now tries to marry friend Soham because his app has been approved for launching by a London-based company. But Soham feels, the marriage would not be a good idea as Kalyani doesn’t love him. Do Kalyani and Soham marry?
Sameer Joshi has written a weird story which actually lets an app decide matters of the heart. In other words, Soham’s app signals the user whether s/he loves someone and who that someone is. So does the app pre-suppose that the heart does not signal love? And, frankly speaking, if the app-based watch on one’s wrist is going to signal whom the wearer loves, where is the watch/app getting the answer from? Obviously, from the wearer’s heart, right? So what’s the locus standi of the app? Sameer Joshi’s screenplay is hardly any better. The drama lacks romance, comedy and emotions. Sameer Joshi’s dialogues are ordinary.
Hruta Durgule is good in the role of Kalyani. Ajinkya Raut is alright as Nihal Hooda. Shubhankar Tawde does a fair job as Soham. Vallari Viraj is okay as Nisha. Rishi Manohar is so-so in the role of Bhushan. Shubhangi Latkar lends reasonable support as Nihal’s mother. Others are adequate.
Sameer Joshi’s direction is dull. Music (Agnel Roman and Vishal Shelke) is quite nice. The rap song and Mann baware are well-tuned. Lyrics (by Chaitanya Kulkarni and Amar Dhembare) are fair. Agnel Roman’s background music should’ve been better. Amol Salunke’s cinematography is passable. Mangesh Pednekar and Ashutosh Mhatre’s art direction is nice. Aniket Kale’s editing is loose.
On the whole, Kanni is a flop show all the way.
Released on 8-3-’24 at Plaza (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru AA Films. Publicity: so-so. Opening: poor.