'14', the latest box office release, is jointly produced by Subbarao Rayana and Sivakrishna Nichchana Metla under the banner of Royal Pictures. Lakmi Srinivas directs the movie. Let's find out what the film is about.
Plot:
Rathan (Ram Ratan Reddy), the son of the Chief Minister (Posani Krishna Murali), enjoys a carefree life with his friends. He falls in love with Neha (Vishaka Dhiman), a junior doctor. However, their story takes a tragic turn when they are found dead in Neha's flat, seemingly by suicide. The police close the case, but journalist Subbu (Sreekanth Iyengar) suspects foul play. He, along with his colleagues, launches an investigation to prove it was a murder, not a suicide.
What are the reasons behind their deaths? Who is the murderer? What role does the Chief Minister play in this mystery? How does an unlikely detective contribute to the investigation? To find out the answers to these questions and delve deeper into this murder mystery, you'll have to watch the movie!
Performances & Technical Departments:
Most of the scenes involve the Ram Ratan-Vishaka Dhiman duo. The lead pair gets to do everything from steamy scenes to involving conversations. It is their story essentially.
Posani, who has been away from the silver screen, makes a return in the role of a playboy-ish, reckless political heavyweight whose behaviour arouses suspicions. Sreekanth Iyengar plays an intrepid and audacious journalist who speaks truth to the power and stands up to the CM, quite literally. Noel Sean plays an office boy with a difference.
Director Dangeti Lakshmi Srinivas should have ensured better scene elevations. Kalyan Nayak's music is basic. Saindh T's cinematography could have been elevated with better use of lighting.
Analysis:
The film is a whodunit and a romantic thriller rolled into one. We get to know of the dual deaths of the young couple right in the first act. The news media takes the demise of the CM's son and his rumoured girlfriend quite casually. Just one newspaper asks probing questions, sending the CM himself into a tizzy.
Rathan, the CM's son, is introduced as a party animal who fears police raids might seal his fate. He is image-conscious and doesn't want the Opposition to target his dad because of him. His low-key philandering ways become a point of friction with his dad. Behind the facade of a hedonist lies a youngster who pines for true love. Neha enters his life as the perfect answer to his search.
Now, Neha finds Rathan a tad timid despite his being the son of the most powerful person in the State. She believes that love and romance have to be soulful, not lustful. As her relationship with Rathan evolves, she starts questioning her choices. The economic differential and the shifting power dynamic befuddle her. Will she be caught unawares in the relationship? Will she be a step ahead, given that she takes the lead in, well, romance? The way the screenplay makes the viewer think of all possibilities is interesting.
As for Posani's CM character, he wants to be as romantic as his son. He comes across as someone with hidden motives. The nature of his equations with his son remains shrouded in ambiguity. He can taunt his son and insult a powerful Editor with brazenness.
The film should have explored the question of love versus lust in a profound manner. The non-linear narrative could also have been explored well.
Vox Verdict:
'14' is a suspenseful romantic entertainer that becomes a sincere whodunit. It also talks about the influence of ubiquitous tech and the prevalence of sadistic impulses in the least suspected individuals.
Rating: 2.75
