There is always a great risk in releasing hyped films. If it falls even a little short of expectations, it may bomb at the box office. But the long awaited Shivaraj Kumar starrer "Jogi" does not disappoint. Director Prem has made a winner.

"Jogi" narrates the sentimental story of a village simpleton who turns into an underworld hireling, and his equally innocent mother searching for him in the uncaring, cruel world of Bangalore.

The major highlight of "Jogi" is, of course, its music that created sales records even before the film's release. Certainly, its unprecedented opening throughout Karnataka was the result of the pre-release media hype.

The film's success thereafter owes much to the electrifying performance of Shivaraj in the role of Madesha. The dialect is from the Charmarajanagar and Kollegal belt, and he uses it perfectly.

He hits it off with the audiences in the last sequence when he knows that his mother had died and that he has helped perform the last rites without knowing her identity.

The music by Guru Kiran is top notch. All the songs had become major hits even before the release of the film. But the picturisation does not match the quality of the songs. "Ello Jogappa Nin Aramane" was a chartbuster, but the song shot in many outdoor Rajasthan locations falls below expectations.

Arundathi Nag's portrayal in the mother's role is just adequate and nothing extraordinary. Mumbai-based model Jennifer Kotwal impresses in her first film, though she has to learn a lot to prove her mettle.

Yana Gupta's 'item number' will get some wolf whistles. Seenu's camerawork is impressive.