Venkatesh holds family drama together

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

You are shocked out of your wits.  Least of at the intensity of the “sets “of gory violence at issue than just story, script and direction (Trivikram Srinivas). When an entire theatre full of people in the midst of guzzling cola, and munching snacks can watch encouragingly men and women killing, stabbing, chopping away necks, piercing sharp knives through the human viscera.  Time to change our collective lenses of expectation, approval and even our sense of entertainment. More importantly our choice of films when it is an outing with children.

The prologue to the needlessly long film is a huge bout of gory violence where a gang (from North India) attacks the farm house of Roshan Agarwal a rich businessman.  They not only get a huge booty of gold but they mercilessly murder every inmate. Fortunately, there is no media template connecting the police investigation headed by Chief (Sachin Khedekar) and Damu (Nara Rohit). The gang is headed by a merciless Chandan (Udaybir Sandhu). The gang includes Veeru (Shafi) and Neela (Deviyyani Sharma). Cut to a docile middle-class family: Chittibabu (Venkatesh), wife Swarna (Srinidhi Shetty), daughter Sampoorna (Yuvina Parthavi) and a son with a heart ailment Sarwa (Raja Prajwal). How the family gets involved with the gang and what secret do they hold is central to the film with an interesting title.

The added track to the story is about another police official, DSP Brihaspati Rao (Rao Ramesh) and what he does to speed up or derail the investigation. With a comedy track perceived as mandatory a major dekho at Satya (Chittaranjan) a neighbour in the gated community into which Chittibabu and family shift thanks to victory with a 100-crore lottery and the assistance of local broker Bujji (Raghu Babu). There is also an innocuous appearance by Nazeer as Jus, Pradeep Sarkar.

The predominant reliance on high dollops of violence sets a surprise axis to viewers who have come to expect wholesome family entertainment from Venkatesh. The actor is in predictable form. Be it the emotional scenes, the famous tickling one liners or the angry man with stunts- there is consummate facility and timing. Unlike peers and later actors, he displays a sense of drama without going over the top. Nara Rohit, Udaybir Sandhu get roles of some detail and muster mention. None among the ladies display any intent, talent or capacity to walk from the script to the role before the camera. 

The film pays tribute to Justice Pradeep sarkar and even refers to judge Frank Caprio, but the disgusting doctors streak notwithstanding, is jurisprudentially closer to the philosophy of Clarance Darrow. Another drawback with Trivikram Srinivas is that he is not only in charge of the convoluted story but also calls the shots and is thus solely responsible for the apparent confusion and resultant chaos in nailing the real targets: the robbers or the Chitti Babu family.  Love the reference made by Venkatesh about Mohanlal and Kamalhasan.

The statement made in the film: Janaallo patience takkuva ayipoyindi (the viewers have lost their patience) is a lesson that fails at the door step of the maker.  Even more telling is the more profound one that the hero mouths: Man turning into a monster is a process. Does violence inoculated into the system through such films help acceptance and dull our sensitivity?  This “ideal family” or “Adarsha Kutumbam” claim more a desire than an accomplishment or a legitimate claim. It is Venkatesh who yet again holds the film together and emerges as the victor.