Appudalaa Ippudilaa Review

Why is it that, in our films, millionaire uncles eventually come to think of jobless but righteous heroes as the best guy his daughter can be had?  Well, this April 1 is special because here the good uncle (played by Naresh) goes a step further: he actually convinces the good daughter (Kannada actress Harshika debuts in Telugu) to choose the boy (played by Surya of Shambo Shiva Shambo fame).

Surya is a good-for-nothing son of Sudha and Suman, who runs a sweets retail chain in the city.  Having done his M.Tech, he wants to make dollars by becoming a software engineer.  He belittles his father’s business, but the good father bides his time.  He waits for the son to mend his ways.  Meanwhile, Surya happens to spend the Rs. 1 lac that Harshika, a stranger, transfers to his account.  Harshika, we later learn, is the daughter of a millionaire, but that Rs. 1 lac is her life!  Why?  Because it’s a Telugu film (One more miracle is in store in the second half.  More on this later).

In the process of arranging that money which the millionaire daughter badly needs to fund her philanthropic activities, Surya falls in love with her.  There comes a moment when, as a bonus, the millionaire daughter accompanies the hero to a hookah centre and watches him play betting, all while behaving like someone whose life hinges on that Rs. 1 lac.  Surya’s life is hyper-cool until his father breathes his last and his spirit appears to give some gyan.  The good mother prods her son to fulfill the father’s unfulfilled wish to pay back to a person.  He is none other than Naresh.

The rest of the film is about what help Naresh seeks from Surya, and what he does to keep his promise.

In making a rom-com, the writer should have ensured that he had his vision updated.  While the good-at-heart hero woos the girl in a stale manner, the girl’s character is uni-dimensional.  Her equations with the hero are stagnant.

As for the comedy, we have our Rajeev Kanakala-inspired hero trying o do everything from a parody of Jalsa’s interval dialogue to making a fool of Bublee Reddy (played by Supreet) with laughable ideas.  Imagine a court sentencing Bublee Reddy to five years jail because our super-intelligent hero planted ‘This property belongs to Bublee Reddy’ boards at Charminar and Golkonda!  Imagine the millionaire uncle’s heart melting on coming to know that Surya risked his life by doing that!  Imagine a villain whose baddies scoot at the sight of our hero manhandling certain eve-teasers!  Imagine a climax where a contrived comedy of multiple characters (all of them including the PA, played by Srinivas Reddy, Supreet, Fish Venkat, and others are there) appear for no rhyme or reason.

As for the performances, Surya needs to work on his expression and learn how not to be over-the-top.  Harshika passes muster, but as someone who has made a name for herself in Kannada, she should have got a better launch.  Naresh and Suman fit the bill.  Naresh tries to do some comedy, but it hardly works.

The dialogues fall flat.  As for the music and cinematography, they are found wanting.

On a lighter vein, given that Suman’s job-giving attitude is held to be superior to job-seeking a number of times in the movie, Appudala Ippudila should be recognized by the Government of India because it indirectly advertizes the GoI’s Startup India initiative.

Verdict: A rom-com that is blighted by stale writing and un-impressive performances.

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