Game (2016 film)

Game (Oru Melliya Kodu [lit.: A thin line] in Tamil) is a 2016 Indian mystery thriller film directed by A. M. R. Ramesh. Shot as a bilingual in Kannada and Tamil languages, it is a copy of the 2012 Spanish film The Body.[1][2] It features Arjun Sarja, Shaam and Manisha Koirala in the lead roles. With music composed by Ilayaraaja, the Kannada version released first on 26 February 2016 while the Tamil version released on July 1, 2016. This film marks the second collaboration of Arjun and Koirala after Mudhalvan.

Game
Theatrical release poster in Kannada
Directed by	A. M. R. Ramesh
Produced by	Deshraj Rai (Presenter) A. M. R. Ramesh Roopa Deshraj
Written by	A. M. R. Ramesh
Starring	Arjun Shaam Manisha Koirala
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography	Krishna Sriram
Edited by	K. V. Krishna Reddy C. M. Selvakumar
Production company	Akshaya Creations
Distributed by	Sapphire Movies
Release date	February 26, 2016 (2016-02-26)
Running time	125 minutes
Country	India
Language	Kannada Tamil

Plot

The film opens with a man running away in fear, looking over his shoulder the whole time. He is hit by a car while on the run and is admitted to the hospital in a coma. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shakthivel is called upon to investigate the matter, where it is found through the security cameras that a corpse of a high profile businesswoman Maaya is missing from the morgue.

Meanwhile, Maaya's husband Akshay is surrounded by his family and friends offering their condolences but he drives them out saying he wants to be left alone. Once they all leave, he drives to his girlfriend Bhumika aka Bhumi's house, where it is revealed Akshay killed his wife and made it look like a heart attack. The police call Akshay over his cell phone and ask him to come to the forensics lab and explain the issue. Akshay drinks a glass of water offered by Bhumi and he leaves. Akshay is asked to stay in the lab until they discover the corpse.

In a series of clues and flashbacks, Akshay is made to believe that Maaya is still alive and is out for revenge. He keeps in contact with Bhumi the entire time, until Shakthivel gets evidence that can allow him to arrest Akshay, in the form of a toxin B-12 that can induce a heart attack. He interrogates Akshay and Akshay reveals how Maaya and him met the first time. After getting locked up in a room, Akshay calls up Bhumi and finds out that Maaya's lawyer Krishna Prasad is in fact a private detective hired by Maaya to spy on Akshay. He asks Bhumi to run away afraid that Maaya is after her. When Bhumi comes out of the building, a car comes speeding towards her and Akshay fears the worst.

He confesses everything to Shakthivel and repeatedly requests him to save Bhumi. Shakthivel gets a call from Deva who says they've found a body, revealed to be Maaya. Shakthivel further confirms that there was no one called Bhumi in the university Akshay mentioned neither in the flat he had gone to and that Bhumi was non-existent. Akshay tries to run away, tailed by Shakthivel.

Shakthivel then reveals that the car accident in which Shakthivel's wife had died was caused by a drunken Akshay and Maaya. Although Shakthivel's daughter Amritha repeatedly calls for help, Maaya tells Akshay to leave them be, due to which wife dies. Amritha had been in a coma for two years and when she woke up, she remembers the car license plate, which she tells her father, who tracks them down. It is revealed in a twist that Bhumi is actually the adult Amritha, Shakthivel's daughter, and this was an elaborate plan orchestrated by Shakthivel and Amritha due to which Maaya was killed. Shakthivel further reveals that the glass of water Amritha had offered Akshay before leaving contained B-12 and it has been eight hours since it entered his bloodstream. Akshay then dies by a heart attack and Shakthivel walks away from his body.

Cast

• Arjun Sarja as Shakthivel IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police
• Shaam as Akshay
• Manisha Koirala as Maaya
• Seetha as Dr. Brinda
• A. M. R. Ramesh as Deva
• Neha Saxena as Sandhya
• Aqsa Bhatt as Bhumi
• R. Parthiban (voice role; Tamil version)

Production

Ramesh had narrated the story to Arjun who agreed to work on the film and helped contact Manisha Koirala about playing the film's leading female role. Shaam was selected to play the film's main antagonist, a role initially planned to be played by the director himself.[3] Arjun also helped the makers get in touch with composer Ilaiyaraaja to compose two songs for the film.[4] The team shot in Chennai in February 2015, with Oru Melliya Kodu, a dialogue taken from Gautham Menon's Yennai Arindhaal (2015), adapted as the film's Tamil title.[5]

In April 2015, actress Kushboo was approached to play Arjun's wife in the film but turned down the offer. The actress later sought a public clarification from the team if the story was based on the death of Indian businesswoman, Sunanda Pushkar, and urged the team to narrate the story with sensitivity. Ramesh, however, refused to confirm Kushboo's allegations and turned down her request of divulging the film's plot to the media.[6][7] During December 2015, the director revealed that production was complete and that postproduction and censoring works were ongoing.[8]

Soundtrack

Game
Soundtrack album by Ilayaraaja
Released	2016
Recorded	Prasad Studios
Genre	Film soundtrack
Length	12:50
Label	Trend Music
Producer	Ilayaraaja
Ilayaraaja chronology
Oyee (2016) Game (2016) Ki & Ka (2016)

Kannada track listing

All lyrics are written by V. Nagendra Prasad.

No.	Title	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Hoovinda Hoovige Kavana"	Karthik, Priya Himesh	5:35
2.	"Ondu Manjina Bindu"	Karthik, Ramya NSK	5:50
3.	"Sogasu Sogasu"	Ilaiyaraaja	1:25
Total length:			12:50

Tamil track listing

All lyrics are written by Pa. Vijay.

No.	Title	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Yaar Indha Velvettu"	Karthik, Priya Himesh	5:35
2.	"Oru Melliya Kodu"	Karthik, Ramya NSK	5:50
3.	"Parandhu Parandhu"	Ilaiyaraaja	1:25
Total length:			12:50

Release

Regarding the Kannada version, The Times of India wrote that "the film is engaging and makes for a good watch" and "This non-linear narrative holds the viewer gripped."[9] Regarding the Tamil version, The Times of India wrote that "It is a pity that the film fails to cross that melliya kodu [thin line] between being ‘not boring’ and ‘compelling enough’".[10] The Hindu wrote "The slow paced narration, which is unusual for Kannada audience, uses sound and visuals to get the needed effect, with Ilayaraja's music score succeeding in creating the mood."[11] Chitraloka wrote "Game is a new kind of film for Sandalwood that will thrill all kinds of audience. Enjoy the show."[12]

The film was dubbed and released in Telugu as Notuku Potu in 2017.[13]

References

1. "A BODY OF EVIDENCE". Bangalore Mirror.
2. "Game movie review: A game around 'the body'". Deccan Chronicle.
3. "Arjun Sarja's Next Game with Manisha". The New Indian Express.
4. "Chowta out, Ilaiyaraaja in for Game". The Times of India.
5. "Arjun draws Oru Melliya Kodu". indiaglitz.com.
6. Muralidhara Khajane. "Film based on life of Sunanda Pushkar?". The Hindu.
7. "AMR Ramesh's Game Puts Pressure on Khushboo?". The New Indian Express.
8. Nikhil Raghavan. "Cinema Snippets". The Hindu.
9. "Game Movie Review, Trailer, & Show timings at Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
10. "Oru Melliya Kodu Movie Review {2.5/5}: Critic Review of Oru Melliya Kodu by Times of India" – via timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
11. Khajane, Muralidhara (27 February 2016). "Where every character plays a 'Game'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
12. "Game Movie Review — chitraloka.com | Kannada Movie News, Reviews | Image". www.chitraloka.com. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
13. "Notuku Potu Reviews and Ratings - MouthShut.com". www.mouthshut.com.

External links

• Game on IMDb