Dictator Review

"Door knock chesi vacche vallu gentlemen, dourjanyanga vacche vallu bad men.  We are bad men."  How is this as a line for baddies?  "Nenu chese panulaki question mark undadu, only full stop."  "Nee lanti vaallu adugaduguna untaru, naa lanti vaadu aruduga untaru."  How are these for punch lines?  While all those punch lines in 'Dictator' are sometimes made more than obvious by Balakrishna's high-pitched tone, is it not putting the cart before the horse if lines take precedence over the screenplay?

Chandu (Balakrishna) works as a supervisor at Dharma Mart (remember this name!) and he leads a commoner's life, being a tough 'alludu' at home and a kind-hearted colleague at workplace.  Sonal Chouhan, an aspiring actress, befriends him, but she is in trouble because some goons are hunting for her brother (played by Rajeev Kanakala).  When she is kidnapped, Chandu locks horns with the goons and this gets him in direct enmity with a corrupt police officer (played by Ajay) with links to mafia.  Days later, when Balakrishna is arrested for stealing money in the supermarket, questions come up over his real identity as Suman, a rich businessman and the owner of the retail chain, arrives in India. The stage is set for a flashback where it is revealed that he was Delhi's famed Dicatator in recent past.

The film is formulaic and smacks of a typical Balakrishna entertainer, complete with fake identity, revenge, and a villain (this time it is a lady villain) seething with rage.  And yes, the whole family is indebted to the hero and there is a whole people (this time, factory workers) who look up to him as god.  All these elements are propped up with dialogues that are touted to be the biggest USP, apart from the songs.

It is a Balakrishna film all the way.  Right from the first song where the hero is seen raising a toast to Lord Ganesha, the film smells of a dated prescription.  However, the Nandamuri hero pulls it off with grace; he is very much watchable in almost all the scenes and since the narration doesn't come with zing, the film rests entirely on his shoulders.  If he is a treat to watch in songs like Gana Gana and Chura Chura, his aggressive heroism in the scenes with Rathi Agnihotri are no less entertaining.  The fight with Vikramjeet Virk and gang has him say punch line after punch line.

The flashback could have been better, but even here the energy and verve of Balakrishna saves the day.  While it is interspersed with comedy scenes involving Balakrishna, Anjali, Nasser, Posani Krishna Murali and Vennela Kishore, the serious ones are only mildly explosive.  Rathi Agnihotri is introduced as someone who has even the Prime Minister under her control, but then the narration goes adrift.  It is the same plot of a factory land sought to be forcefully grabbed and the hero stepping in to be the saviour.  It would have done great justice to the title had the plot been a grand one, instead of resorting to a usual suspect. The story has no gravity to match the intensity of the title.

Seeking to offer glamour quotient are Sonal Chouhan and Anjali.  Balakrishna strikes chemistry with Anjali and does some comedy with her (the track reminds one of Ghajini).

Suman gets to play a good role and he looks well as Balayya's brother.  Rathi Agnihotri gets a powerful role and one feels she could have had a more elaborate characterization.  Nawab Shah (as Rathi's son-in-law) doesn't make much of an impact.

Of all the character artists, it is Nasser who stands out.  His comic timing has a rare spark and one feels actors like him should get roles in combination with comedians like Brahmanandam and Vennela Kishore in future.  The track involving Prithvi Raj, Hema, Prabhas Seenu and Shakalaka Shankar could have been better.

The technical aspects are good enough.  Thaman's music and Chinna's background score are satisfying, while Shyam K Naidu's cinematography is good.

Verdict: A movie for those who want to see Balakrishna delivering punch lines and smashing an empire.

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