Director Ravicharan Meripo seems to try something novel in Akasame Haddu by mixing the usual ingredients of love, comedy and sentiment with a dose of message. As for whether he succeeds in his attempt, one can only give an arguable answer. Well, what the writers have detailed on the paper seems to have been translated on the celluloid satisfactorily, but then in the absence of an emotional core, which Akasame Haddu doesn't sustain through the length of the movie, and with a lot of routine props, the film doesn't impress you much.
To begin with, Akasame Haddu kicks off on an interesting note. It opens with Narayana (Rajiv Saluri in a sober act) wallowing in a sense of loss, with a tragedy song playing in the background. It is clear to the audience that he is a failed lover, who is devastated and dejected. It doesn't take the director two minutes of screen time to place him in a bar, where he mixes poison in a glass of wine, wanting to commit suicide. The proceedings become even more exciting when Karthik (Navdeep) stops him from killing himself and asks him how he can help him sail through the difficulty.
Narayana takes him through his story, which is peppered with some routine scenes, but enlivened by some good lines. He is a brilliant student when it comes to studies, he has a doting father and a loving mother and has got a goal in life. He is all set to become the University topper in Engineering. It is when he sees Keerthi (Panchi Bora) and soon realizes that he loves her. On her part, Keerthi turns down Narayana's overtures. Convinced that she is not going to love him any time soon, he decided to die.
Karthik offers to help him woo the girl. Some simple plans work for Narayana. A couple of scenes later, Keerthi and him share some light moments over a cup of coffee. However, does this friendship blossom into love between them?
Least does Nayarayana know that there is more to what meets the eye. He is back on the track, is doing good at studies again, has written his exams well and is expecting to pass out with flying colours in the final exams, but he will have a shock of his life.
Some years back, Karthik too, much like Narayana whom he now considers as his brother, was doing brilliant in studies, prodded by a doting father and a loving mother and had a goal in life. How are the lives of the two guys related? Where and how do their stories intersect? Answers to these questions form the anti-climax block of the movie.
Unfortunately, the film's novelty has been failed because the director doesn't make an attempt to enrich it by keeping his film on a higher trajectory. You feel that Karthik's character doesn't behave consistently. When he gives up on his agenda (watch the film to know what it is) at the pre-climax stage, it seems premature. Also, Panchi Bora's involvement in the story seems incidental, rather than instrumental.
As for the performances, Rajiv Saluri looks uniformly glum and morose throughout the film. His acting prowess is not fleshed out and he looks homogenous. Navdeep is at ease with his role, but he is monotonous. On her part, Panchi looks good look-wise but ordinary performance-wise.
The best aspect is the dialogues by JN Reddy which are well-written. Two songs are up-to-the-mark and the background score is appropriate.
On a final note, it should be said that with a more intelligent take, Akasame Haddu would have connected better with the audience.
Released on: 9th Sep, 2011
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