'Guntur Kaaram', marking Mahesh Babu's return after an absence of over eighteen months, is currently screening in theaters. Haarika & Hassine Creations's distributors have astutely ensured widespread accessibility of the entertainer to eager audiences in the Telugu States, not limited to the US, with 1 AM shows scheduled for this Friday in Hyderabad. Join us as we analyze the highly anticipated Sankranthi release.
Plot:
Ramana (Mahesh Babu) has been estranged from his mother, Vyra Vasundhara (Ramya Krishna), for numerous years. Residing in Guntur with his father Sathyam (Jayaram) and aunt (Easwari Rao), he receives a summons from his grandfather, Venkata Swamy (Prakash Raj), a political strategist in the Jana Dalam Party, to come to Hyderabad. The purpose is to officially sever ties with his mother, who is also associated with the same political party. Ramana strongly opposes this, triggering a sequence of events. The conflict with Venkata Swamy becomes a battleground for murder attempts and counterattacks. While Ramana emerges victorious in the end, the climax primarily revolves around his reconciliation with his long-estranged mother.
Performances:
Mahesh Babu's seamless acting prowess adds a touch of lightness when necessary. When it comes to reaching emotional peaks, the actor draws upon his extensive experience. The rhythm of his performance comes to the fore in lighter scenes, especially where he has to make his Guntur dialect obvious. His dances are surprisingly very good.
Ramya Krishna portrays a character vastly different from the image she crafted in the 'Baahubali' movies. Prakash Raj is not distinctive. The arc of his character is also pretty stale (and some of you can even guess his motives). Jagapathi Babu is thankfully reduced to a cameo.
Vennela Kishore gets to be seen in many scenes with Sree Leela (who looks too young for her role) and the hero. Murali Sharma delivers a performance that reminds us of his 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' style. Rao Ramesh and Meenakshi Chaudhary are equally forgettable. Ajay Ghosh and Ajay are seen in forced comedy episodes that work when watched as standalone scenes. Otherwise, those scenes are there because Trivikram just wanted to force-fit a certain brand of entertainment. Ravi Shankar and Rahul Ravindran are seen as an evil politician and Ramana's stepbrother, respectively.
Technical Departments:
Thaman's background music lends a touch of cheeriness to the protagonist, who is otherwise simmering with sadness and mild discontent. The songs are whistle-worthy. The allegedly bawdy 'Kurchi Madathapetti' is enjoyable. 'Mawaa Enthaina', the unlikely song where the hero expresses his loneliness, is spiced up by Sekhar VJ's superb choreography.
The cinematography (mainly by Manoj Paramahamsa and secondarily by PS Vinod) gets the panning, tilting and other aspects right. But we don't care much. At the end of the day, the scale of the movie is pretty ordinary.
Merits:
1. The conflict involving the mother and the son. Ramya Krishna's Vasundhara is the only character that talks less and emotes more.
2. The involvement of female artists in an episode involving a comedy stretch and a song.
3. The picturization and choreography of the first song.
4. Some dialogues are awesome. Trivikram may disappoint those who have unrealistically high expectations of him, though. But, by today's standards of dialogue-writing, 'Guntur Kaaram' has meritorious lines.
Demerits:
1. Too many lines and too little drama in many segments.
2. The first half is nearly plotless after the prologue. The romance with Sree Leela and the fooling around with Vennela Kishore are excuses to keep the film going for 159 minutes.
3. The scenes where Brahmaji, Ajay Ghosh and Ajay are seen make the film look meandering.
4. No cinematic highs for those who are used to watching visual extravaganzas.
Vox Verdict:
'Mahesh Babu steals the spotlight in 'Guntur Kaaram'. Trivikram's storytelling prowess takes a hit. While the film isn't as unbearable as 'Agnyaathavaasi,' it falls short of delivering the electrifying experience it was anticipated to provide.
Rating:2.5/5
