‘Laughing Buddha’ Movie Review: A humorous, nonjudgmental look at the daily lives of police officers

Pramod Shetty in ‘Laughing Buddha’ Photo credit: Rishabh Shetty Films/YouTube

One way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Constable Govardhan (Pramod Shetty in an impressive performance) knows this more than anyone else in Shivamogga’s Neeruru police station. Lured by the delicacies offered by Govardhan in the prison, all manner of inmates – from robbers to raiders – confess their crimes.

Directed by Bharat Raj laughing buddha, Produced by Rishabh Shetty, the genre changes drastically when compared to the filmmaker’s debut hero, A slasher film mixed with comedy. On the other hand, Laughing Buddha It’s mostly a lighthearted comedy about the daily life of a policeman, with some taking a backseat (no complaints about that!).

Govardhan is a standout at the police station due to his ability to solve cases with a smile, where his boss loses his cool at the drop of a hat. The film pulls you into its world through a breezy first half that reflects on the relatable but overlooked problems of police officers; An episode on burnout is well written because it focuses on family members of cops, who are most affected by the unpredictable nature of the profession.

Meanwhile, Govardhan’s wife (Teju Belawadi) likes how he tastes food. You can understand his special relationship with food by how he eats with absolute happiness. Now, imagine letting go of something you are most attached to. Govardhan encounters this situation when a journalist’s critical observation of officers’ fitness at Niruru station upsets the higher-ups.

A still from ‘Laughing Buddha’

An overweight Govardhan is asked to get in shape or think of another career! For a while, Bharath Raj makes us believe that Govardhan’s transformation journey is the main plot of the film. But the twist that splits in the second half Laughing Buddha In two different films.

A humiliated Govardhan is once again clamoring to solve a case that requires his intelligence more than his physical prowess. Here, the segments involving Digantha lack a solid sense of humor and stretch beyond necessity. Fortunately, Diganth manages to keep the mystery surrounding his character intact till the climax, and Vishnu Vijay’s superb music, his beats in sync with the action on screen, saves the second half. Even if the thriller angle doesn’t get a strong payoff, Bharath Raj brings smiles back to our faces and ends the film on a high.

Another filmmaker might have made a film on the topical subject of custodial violence revolving around a senior officer beating his inmates black and blue. But Bharath Raj’s film is from the perspective of the police, and the director has done justice to his aim of portraying them as human beings first.

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Laughing Buddha Takes an optimistic look at the overall system. The film’s nonjudgmental approach is evident in its portrayal of criminals who commit crimes out of injustice and sheer desperation. In the case of cops, we often hear stories of police officers being asked to lose weight or resign; Some were also shifted to health camps. The issue should be approached with compassion because officers often struggle to deal with stress and mental health issues, say Bharath Raj and team.

Laughing Buddha is currently playing in theaters.