Family values and sibling love are themes that never go old in Telugu cinema. And if there is right treatment for it, it can also be very interesting. And it sure gets in Lakshmi.
Though it goes maudlin in certain places, the film works mainly due to Venkatesh's bankable histrionics and the ability of the director VV Vinayak to make the sentiments stick.
The story is about a caring brother Lakshmi Narayana (Venkatesh) who lords over a huge business empire and dotes on his sisters and brothers.
But life comes unstuck for him, when the scheming Janardhan (Sayi Shinde) --- an ex-employee of him ---- works in the background and creates sinister motives in the minds of Lakshmi's brothers and sisters.
The inevitable happens, Lakshmi leaves it all for his brother and sister. There is also a small suspense regarding his real relationship with them. Meanwhile, there is also a flashback to him when he was in Kolkata. He has a romantic interest there (Nayantara), Then there is also his secretary in the company (Charmi).
So what is his background, what happens to his love interest and do the baddies get the better off him form the rest of the story.
For Venky, the film takes off from where his last Sankranthi release, Sankranthi left (both are about brotherly love).
The lanky actor is utterly convincing as a brother who is wronged against and carries on manfully. He gets the rights nuances in body language. His dances with Charmme and Nayantara are also full of fun and zing. Looks like, he is back in form.
Nayantara, the buxom girl, the main heroine, has a typical role. She shows good understanding of it and comes up with a neat portrayal. Charmme is as usual confidence personified. She is full of beans and dances with verve.
Sayaji Shinde as the arch villain does his usual stuff. Pradeep Rawat has nothing much to do. The comedy of Venu Madhav and others are certainly enjoyable. Rajiv Kanakala and Sharvanand, the young actors amble through their roles.
Ramana Gogula's music is certainly one of the highlights of the film. He has come with a good mix of melodies ands mass numbers and the audiences are lapping it up in the theater (incidentally, it is Manisharma who is in charge of the re-recording). The camera work also passes muster without being extraordinary.
V V Vinayak's direction is on safe lines. He keeps to the linear path, without taking any chances. He knows whom he is catering to and delivers what he promised.
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