Karma directed by M R Shahjahanand is artistically acted upon by Alma Saraci, Carlucci Weyant, Vijayendra Ghatge, and Claudia Ciesla. The movie is rated as * ½.

The cinematic crime of reincarnating an ancient Bollywood formula sans any passion or innovation is committed by Karma. It has been witnessed lot of times in Bollywood punar-janam plot from Madhumati to Om Shanti Om but this one lacks any novel interpretation and is rather a direct spin-off from Chetan Anand’s 1981 film Kudrat (Hema Malini, Rajesh Khanna, Raaj Kumar).

Vik (Carlucci Weyant) flies down to Ooty from New York to visit his alienated father Ranvir (Vijayendra Ghatge) on insisting of his newly-married bride Anna (Alma Saraci). In the new surroundings Anna experiences strange visions and soon it reveals as a rebirth case. In her past life Anna was Linda (Claudia Ciesla, who lived in the same vicinity and was killed, post the predictable rape attempt. Anna is determined to solve mystery as Linda haunts her to trace the culprit.

Keeping apart the outdated reincarnation plot movie also resorts to regular tricks of the trade in inciting horror. The story part of a couple coming to spend time in their ancestral royal mansion is also from the backdated ‘dak-bangla’ Ramsay’s genre horror. Another common cliché shows the husband’s customary disbelief in his wife’s hallucinations and with lots of conventionalism in movie, it certainly looks forcible the identity of the killer. Even the father-son’s estrangement is never clearly shown.

The editing is done smartly, technically speaking especially in the latter portions where the past and present run in parallel frames. The trademark disturbing camera movements for the spooky effect works well. Ooty, the scenic hill station could have been captured with better elegance than the restriction to commercial bylanes of the camera.

The performance is also alright. Through out the movie, Carlucci Weyant as the disbelieving husband carries the same straight-faced expression. Royal person act of Marigold is repeated by Vijayendra Ghatge. Screen presence and acting ability lacks in Claudia Ciesla and comes without the much talked-about topless scene. Alma Saraci is the only one worth a mention for her pleasing personality and 'spirited' performance.

Cannes consent mark also does not help the movie. Karma is simply an age-old Bollywood masala, served with a cross-country cast and setting.

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Posted by Amrith K.A on 13 June, 2009 3:23:08 PM IST #