Actors this side of the Vindhyas
last longer than their counterparts in Bollywood. No surprise therefore that it
is eight and twenty years since the hero is still going strong. What makes the
lead actors take a romantic scripts even in their fifties is no credit to a
social order that accepts middle age romance. It is the fan following. It is in
this context that creditable mention be made of Venkatesh. He has moved from
the “song and dance’’ stereotype to the guy who romances but within the
parameters of the age his face reflects. Films like Drishyam and Gopala Gopala
reflect an intelligent career move. It also suggests that a good artist is one
who necessarily thinks out his art. Venkatesh has surely moved on. This in the
backdrop of a cinema vitiated by inertia is no mean achievement.
The film predictably is star centric or to be more accurate committed to the
star in Venkatesh. It is designed to inform the audience and reassure his fan
club that he has not lost his charisma or his pulse reading skill sets to age.
Krishna ACP (Venkatesh) is a police officer. Oh! He has done it so many times
as have most other heroes. No he is now the officer with a difference. He is
not the ‘don’t angry me’ type. He is the ‘don’t weep me’ paradigm with the
heart of gold. He sets out to woo Sailaja (Nayanatara) who is being blackmailed
and threatened by the ill kept baddies at the instance of Mayoral aspirant and
50 killings Mallesh (Sampath). While Sailaja of multi siblings fame has also
grandma (Sowcar Janaki) and mom in addition to feed, she also has to keep them
away from the threat of the bad guys who are on the lookout for her Dad Sastri
who has incriminating evidence against Mallesh and MLA Keshava (Posani). Vying
with Krishna for attention of the catering Sailaja is Bataya Kaya Babji
(Prudhvi). Assisting the ACP are a gang of comedy and space filling group
(Brahmaji, Venu Tillu, Raghu, and Venella Kishore (as Inspector Kishore)). The
build up to the romance is laboriously lengthy. The conflict and clash between
Krishna and MLA Keshava is the humour line and the punch conflict is with Big
Bad Mallesh. This part lack punch, notwithstanding the multi punch no holds bar
delivery by ACP.
While veterans like Posani, Sampath, Sowcar Janaki deliver without fuss,
players in the comedy track – essential to the script and the larger style of
the narrative do not go overboard. This is crucial to the film. Surely Prudhvi
in the sweet lime role has a juicy if not meaty presence and does full justice
as does Venela Kishore. After a long while we have Brahmanandam as Magic
Mangamma doing justice to his presence and repute and not reducing his outing
to a predictable farce.
Nayanatara is the gloss element. Elegantly attired (special mention be made of
her wardrobe as of Venkatesh in his linen shirts – except his red pants!!). She
keeps her screen dignity in place and teams well with Venkatesh. She chooses
her costumes and accessories with grace and taste. To reiterate, the film
belongs to Venkatesh. And does he deliver!! First a caveat: I am a Venkatesh
fan. Here is script that drenches him in his strengths. With multiple songs
referring to Venkatesha and also as Babu Bangaram, he grows on you as you may
hum: Chustuna, Chustuna. The film is yet another instance where thematically it
seems to suggest that a law abiding police officer is a systemic anachronism.
The cop with the heart in the right place gets the applause that the vegetable
eating tiger is now thirsting for blood. Fortunately, Venkatesh (and here lies
the great success) adds humour rather than gore and muscle to the character.
This keeps the film in the light entertainer mode throughout. He never goes
overboard. Never under delivers. Conscious of his star position, he neither
takes his feet of the peddle nor does he over step. If only the Dadasaheb
patriarch was around he would surely have said: Babu, Bangaram.
+ Venky and humour.
– 156 minutes
Rating: 3 stars
L. Ravichander.