In Pepe, <\/i>director Shreelesh S Nair\u2019s pillars of support are music composer Poornachandra Tejaswi and cinematographer Abhishek Kasargod. The director\u2019s world-building is driven by Tejaswi\u2019s chilling score and Abhishek\u2019s flamboyant shots<\/p>\n Shreelesh sets up Pepe <\/i>with fine conviction. Apart from the backdrop, he introduces plenty of characters to raise curiosity. When we hear the story of two fictitious villages divided by a stream, it\u2019s as if we are gearing up for an epic to unfold. People from one sector care about reputation while those on the other side struggle for livelihood.<\/p>\n Director:<\/b> Shreelesh S Nair<\/p>\n Cast:<\/b> Vinay Rajkumar, Kaajal Kunder, Aruna Balraj, Mayur Patel<\/p>\n Runtime:<\/b> 126 minutes<\/p>\n Storyline:<\/b> Two groups are divided by a stream. It takes one brave man to stand up for the oppressed as he takes on the dominant community<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The oppressed are exploited by people from the dominant caste for sand mining from the stream. One brave family from the downtrodden questions their right for equality, and all hell breaks loose between the two groups. Pradeep A.K.A Pepe, a short-fused youngster, is at the centre of this resurgence from the oppressed. He is known for going after things denied to him.<\/p>\n Apart from caste discrimination, the film is vocal about women\u2019s rights. Kaajal Kunder plays a young woman from an upper-caste family. She is an odd one out in the conservative family, encouraging young women to question the prejudice against them.\u00a0<\/p>\n The film keeps cutting back and forth between scenes from the present and past. The flashback is in black and white, almost as if revisiting an old album. Some powerful dialogues do justice to the film\u2019s progressive outlook.<\/p>\n After doing all the hard work to establish the core plot, Shreelesh throws his hands up in the air, and Pepe <\/i>crumbles under the weight of the film\u2019s own expectations. The idea of taking a stand with the downtrodden is appreciable. However, Shreelesh falters is in the execution of his subject as he he fails failing to show the everyday lives of the local people.<\/p>\n Pepe <\/i>is a violent film with plenty of action sequences. Some of the action scenes are choreographed\u00a0creatively, yet, the gruesome fights don\u2019t leave a lasting impact because of the sheer absence of drama in the second half. The blood-fest inevitably kills the intrigue in the movie.<\/p>\n ALSO READ:<\/b>How superhit Kannada track \u2018Dwapara\u2019 from \u2018Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi\u2019 has given actor Ganesh a new lease of life<\/p>\n He goes through a range of emotions, but we see a straight-faced Vijay Rajkumar delivering a performance that\u2019s no different from his previous filmography.<\/p>\n The screenplay, after a point, keeps running in circles. You feel the filmmaker is too adamant to take the story forward as characters struggle to overcome the trauma from their past. One big reason for this lack of urgency in storytelling is the current trend of releasing one film in two parts. Pepe, <\/i>too, \u201cshall be continued\u201c according to the makers. But isn\u2019t it always better to tell a solid, engaging story in one part?<\/p>\n Pepe is currently running in theatres<\/i><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/th-i.thgim.com\/public\/entertainment\/movies\/q605nx\/article68584393.ece\/alternates\/SQUARE_80\/Laughing%20Buddha.jpeg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPepe (Kannada)<\/h5>\n
![\"Vinay](\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/theme\/images\/th-online\/1x1_spacer.png\" "\\"Vinay")
<\/picture><\/div>\n\nVinay Rajkumar in \u2018Pepe\u2019.
\n| Photo Credit: PRK Audio\/YouTube\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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