Once upon a time, cinema used to be an integral part of the society. It acted as one stop solution for all our entertainment needs. Then came television, then came internet, and finally came facebook, posing lot of challenges for film-makers, who are still struggling to bring audience to cinemas. Earlier, we were under the impression that heavy-duty star cast gives huge openings to films, but that's not the case these days. Yesterday, while watching Srimannarayana, we witnessed a silent Devi 70mm without the usual furore on the first day of a movie's release. Where has gone the fire-crackerish welcome that movies used to enjoy on Day 1. Is it the heavy dose of entertainment from myriad sources acting as an impediment to movie-watching at theatres?! Or is it a regular fare at any Balakrishna movie these days?! Read on...!!
\rDirector Ravi Chavali made some films before, but he's known only for Samanyudu (*ing Jagapathi Babu). The expectations were sky high when he started making a film with Balakrishna. In Srimannarayana, our hero plays the role of a daring journalist who unearths scams easily and bashes goons mercilessly. The director chose a current burning topic and gave it a thriller tinge to engage the viewer till the end. But what falls out of place is he resorting to typical execution with formulaic scenes patented by Telugu cinema for decades.
\rThe first half is entertaining with some flashy songs and two heroines. The SIM card/mobile phone analogy for Balakrishna's dual relationship with damsels is hilarious. The dialogues are fun too. You feel that you finished watching the half in a jiffy amidst songs, laughs and fights. After a perfect interval block, the second half suddenly takes pace with many unfolding events. So, the viewer who's relaxed while watching the first half is suddenly on toes and takes some heavy dosage in the later half. There are some creative touches in visuals esp. songs, and surprisingly, such effects never crossed the mind of great directors such as Shankar.
\rComing to Balakrishna, he's the lifeline of the film and looks much younger. Don't be surprised to watch him use a combo of technology - video calling and GPS - to save his colleague from goons. Unlike Okkamagadus and Adhinayakudus of the world, he never went overboard with acting and maintained a perfect poise. Time and again, he proves that he's tailor-made for portraying emotions on screen and no one else can match him. Parvati Melton plays the role of a journo with size zero - In one scene, Balayya says, “Bonguku pant shirt vesi natlu nuvvu, nee aakaram!!†The real show stealer is Isha Chawla, who's more than gorgeous in the film.
\rBottom-line: Srimannarayana is a much better movie than Balakrishna's previous films of recent past. However, it remains another pedantic saga of Good vs Evil and how a hero weeds out wicked elements from a society and curbs their atrocities. Umpteen references to scams and Government/CBI's inefficiency to stall them is shown in the film. Watch out for Balkarishna who shuns the routine superhero stunts and uses ingenious ways to finish the villains. The film is a treat for Balakrishna's fans, and non-fans will be content with many elements of grandeur induced in the film, thanks to its lavish budget.
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