'Ambajipeta Marriage Band' has been made by GA2 Pictures, Dheeraj Mogilineni Entertainment and Mahayana Motion Pictures. The film's paid premiers on Thursday night were a massive success in the Telugu States. In this review, let's check out the film's hits and misses.
Plot:
Malli (Suhas) and Padma (Saranya Pradeep) are twins hailing from the barber's community in a village named Ambajipeta. The former works for a wedding band, while the latter is a school teacher. The feudalist Venkat (Nithin Prasanna) woos Padma and regards her as his minion. Meanwhile, Malli and Venkat's sister Lakshmi (Shivani Nagaram) are in love with each other. On the birthday of the Malli-Padma duo, a humiliating incident triggers a set of tense incidents in the days to follow. The drama explores the role played by insult, trauma and violence in the lives of the Malli-Padma duo in the wake of these developments.
Performances:
Suhas happened to say that his best performance ever would be in 'AMB'. To be frank, his best works are 'Colour Photo' and 'Family Drama'. In 'AMB', Suhas plays an oppressed man with a not-so-sharp tinge. He makes us feel for his plight and that's all you can say about his acting. His character's arc nosedives in the second half, relying on the cathartic nature of the climax and nothing else to redeem itself.
Saranya Pradeep gets her career's first full-fledged role. Debutante Shivani is sidelined in favour of the main plot in the second half. Goparaju Ramana is good but his character's behaviour is artificial in the second half. It must have been hard for Nithiin Prasanna to maintain a singular expression in every damn scene. The director asked him to look the same in every scene, barring the climax. Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari of 'Pushpa' fame is average.
Technical Departments:
Sekhar Chandra's music is commendable. 'Gumma' and 'Maa Ooru Ambajipeta' are enjoyable. The cinematography by Wajid Baig stands out in the pre-climax and climax phases. The editing by Kodati Pavan Kalyan is flawless. Art Direction by Ashish Teja Pulala and the action direction by Subbu are basic; it's not like much was expected from them in any case. The choreography by Moin and the costumes by Bharath Gandhi are a plus.
Merits:
1. The opening sequence establishes Suhas' Malli as a victim. He is at war with the system. It's a solid one for an opening sequence.
2. The track involving Jagadeesh's character and Padma is not overplayed.
3. The staging of the innocent love between Malli and Lakshmi is interspersed with jaunty music.
4. The background music has been used ably to lift the spirits.
5. The brother-sister scenes are natural and cinematic at once.
6. The climax is hyper-emotional without being manipulative.
Demerits:
1. Some plot points can be predicted just like that.
2. The influence of some village-based dramas like 'Rangasthalam' is evident. This film lacks the finesse of a 'Palasa 1978', though.
Vox Verdict:
Writer-director Dushyanth Katikaneni attempts to tell an emotional scene with a satisfying climax. Although predictable throughout, the performances and the sincere writing deliver goods.
Rating: 3/5
