The first question that comes to your mind after watching the Kannada film Muniya is that how can a good actor like Mayur, who was very good in Yograj Bhat's Mani pick up one bad project after another. This is a real tragedy for an actor who was nominated for the best actor award for his performance in Mani.
But Mayur shows brilliance as an actor even in a film like Muniya, while director Naga Chandra clearly proves that he is yet to learn from his past mistakes.
The first half tests your patience, and the transformation in the second half comes as a little bit of surprise. Though the film focuses on the hero's flash back and love story in the second half, the backdrop of the film is underworld. It is in these sequences that Nagachandra shows his lack of imagination. You see the same scenes have been seen in many films, you see the same gang wars and you see the same sword and sickle fights. When will our film makers learn to show something fresh in their films?
The oft-repeated story goes like this: Muniya is an orphan who works with a rich village landlord. He is attached to the landlord's daughter, Gowri. Though the girl loves Muniya, he takes care of her as a dutiful servant. The girl proposes to Muniya, but he is not ready. Then the girl forces Muniya to take her to the city where she is beaten up by a group of villains and is hospitalised. Despite her medical condition, Muniya has the same love and affection for her.
Mayur has worked hard to give a good performance. The heroine Sahithya impresses in her debut. The film's other heroine Sheetal has too little scope to perform. Rangayana Raghu's has not showcased anything on the screen to write about. The other artists appear and then walk out of the screen doing nothing. Music by Abhiman Roy is good.
Go for this only if you have patience.
Rediff Rating: 
