What is the probability that, one day, Samarasimha Reddy (the central character of 'Samrasimha Reddy-The Conclusion') returns big-time, but is projected small-time?  Very high.  Very, very high.  Such are the obsessions of our times that the second edition of Samarasimha Reddy could well spend most of his time using Brahmanandam or Prudhvi (or maybe the heroine, too) to a comical effect in his fight against his factionist-rival.  He will say punch lines, but his main interest will lie in making a 'bakra' out of the taken-hardly-seriously antagonist.  Who knows, the hero-factionist may actually involve the entire village in his fun-filled revenge screenplay, just to make sure there is an improvement over what Sreenu Vaitla & Co. did years ago.

That's seriously the feeling that one gets, of late.  Look at this one.  'Aatadukundam Raa' is a hybridized version of 'Kalisundam Raa', 'Baadshah', 'Bumper Offer', and God knows what all.

As the film begins, Vijay Ram (Murali Sharma) loses his huge fortune because of the villain's scheming, a villain who cons him into believing that it's his best friend Anand Rao (Anand) who defrauded him.  Years later, Vijay Ram has to sell off his rice mill so his brother (Raghu Babu) can give his daughter in marriage to someone.  The arch rival returns, complete with a mean acolyte (played by Posani Krishna Murali) and intimidates him into selling the property worth crores for Rs. 40 lacs.

Karthik (Sushanth) enters the household as a relative, but he is not.  Before they come to know of it, he has befriended the entire family (teaching them how to be happy, in the style of scores of Telugu hero characters) but for the elder.  Shruthi (Sonam Bajwa), the angry, unfriendly 'maradalu', ultimately falls for him.  Meanwhile, he has achieved many a feat, including ensuring the marriage goes as per schedule and with the scheduled bridegroom.

The big unfinished task is how to defraud the villain and teach him a lesson.

G Nageshwar Reddy banks on Prudhvi (as a TV serial director out to make a small-screen magnum opus on 3D) and Brahmanandam (Girija Rao, a foolish sidekick of the main villain) to redeem the proceedings.  The second half derives its idea from the comedy track of 'Baadshah' - the hero fools Brahmi into believing that he is travelling back and forth in time along with him and Vennela Kishore.  Taken for a ride, Brahmi believes that Akkineni Nageshwara Rao's sister gave away Annapurna 7 Acres to him in the '60s for getting the prediction right about ANR's career graph, that iron is the next gold, that Kurnool is the next Dubai and so on.

Clearly, the makers had just this half-borrowed, half-baked idea in mind and it was to accommodate this that a story was created, sorry, borrowed (again).  Ideas like 'Gampedasha', snake walk, 'Badrama Devi', a heroine old-fashioned enough to think that the chilli power in her hands is a potion, a sultry Jyothilakshmi saying 'Nenu ade type', a cop using Kilkili, a thankless remake of a cult hit ('Palleku podam') don't make the cut.

Sushanth should have chosen a better screenplay to elevate himself.  Comedy may not exactly be his cup of tea.  Sonam Bajwa comes across as a dumbed down version of Kim Sharma.  She doesn't get to showcase her acting skills.  The skin show just doesn't make a mark in isolation.  Murali Sharma passes muster.  Rama Prabha, Raghu Babu, Sudha and others are forgettable.

Brahmanandam, Posani Krishna Murali and Vennela Kishore put up a good show.

As for the technical departments, Anup Rubens' music and BGM were never so listless.  The DOP and art work could have been better.

Verdict: A rip off of so many ideas, the film lacks an identity of its own.  Watch out for Brahmi, if you would.  Time travel idea may entertain a section of the audience.

ఆటాడుకుందాం రా.. తెలుగు వెర్షన్ మూవీ రివ్యూ