'Sri Ranga Neethulu', an anthology film written and directed by Praveen Kumar VSS, was released in theatres today. Let's find out what the film is about.
Plot:
The movie revolves around the lives of five individuals, four of whom are in their mid-twenties and the other one is a middle-aged man. Shiva, portrayed by Suhas, is an experienced electronics mechanic who is sought-after for his efficiency. He has a weakness for two-minute fame in his locality and hankers after a larger-than-life flex (referred to as flexi in common parlance).
Aishwarya (played by Ruhani Sharma) finds herself in a complicated situation when she suspects that she is pregnant. Her boyfriend Varun (portrayed by Viraj Ashwin) is of no help.
Karthik (acted by Karthik Rathnam) battles with drug addiction after failing to crack his dream as his father (Devi Prasad) helplessly watches on.
In each of the stories, there is a conflict and the characters are trying their best to find an escape. Will they? Or, won't they?
Performances & Technical Departments:
Suhas can never go wrong with any performance. That said, he looks somewhat demotivated in this film. Ruhani Sharma's body language befits her upper-class background. Karthik Rathnam is stuck with that bearded look. Viraj Ashwin of 'Baby' fame gets to be seen in almost all scenes featuring his pair.
Srinivas Avasarala plays a convenient groom-to-be who overtalks to generate laughs. Rag Mayur of 'Keedaa Colaa' fame is seen as Suhas' all-weather friend. Jeevan Kumar, Kiran Macha, Sanjay Swaroop, Gemini Suresh, Pramodini and others leave no impression. Devi Prasad is decent as Karthik's father who stars at an uncertain future. Tanikella Bharani plays a Garikapati-like preacher who prods elders to think from the perspective of youngsters. Vasu Inturi plays a cop with his heart in the right place.
Ajay Arasada and Harshavardhan Rameshwar have failed to lend to the anthology a distinct feel.
Analysis:
Karthik's introduction paints him as someone grappling with a drinking problem, but as the story progresses, it becomes evident that his struggles run deeper and are more entrenched. His battle extends beyond mere alcohol abuse to a broader issue of substance dependency, compounded by a troubling pseudo-philosophical stance on life. Despite his social ineptitude, the emotional turmoil of his father, and a crisis triggered by his younger brother's unwitting error, the narrative seems to normalize Karthik's condition. It becomes increasingly apparent that Karthik's worldview is in dire need of a transformative overhaul, a stark contrast to the narrative's attempt to gloss over his idiocy.
In the segment featuring Suhas, the word 'flexi' is used in every other scene. We get to know nothing much about his past and his thinking beyond his undying itch for pomp and show. He chases worthless fame and seeks validation. There is so much the film could have done in terms of telling us about his psychology. The same remains unexplored.
While the storyline concerning Suhas remains rather dry and one-dimensional, the narrative involving Ruhani Sharma offers a slightly broader scope. However, even in this arc, the impact of the interval climax seems to falter. The themes of parental opposition and transcending personal limitations hold significant weight but are unfortunately underexplored in the film. There is a missed opportunity to delve deeper into these themes.
The characters are reduced to caricatures in the second half. A lot of filler scenes are there just to stretch the running time.
Vox Verdict:
With its three-story premise, 'Sri Ranga Neethulu' could have achieved so much. But its superficiality leaves a void.
