'DJ Tillu' hit the screens this Saturday. In this section, we are going to review the latest box office release.

Story:

When DJ Tillu falls in love with Radhika, an upcoming singer, his life turns topsy turvy over the course of a night. He finds himself saddled with a dead body and Radhika, meanwhile, may be conspiring to make his life worse. For the next few months, Tillu is condemned to find a way out of the mess. Can he succeed?

Analysis:

When the trailer for 'DJ Tillu' was released earlier this month, youngsters among the audience made up their minds to watch the film ASAP. The dialogues seemed whacky, while Tillu's characterization seemed insane in a welcome way. Does the film live up to the expectations?

The answer is an unqualified yes. A lot of you might be told that the second half is slow and things like that. To cut to the chase, let it be said that perfect crime comedies are as rare as hyper-logical thrillers. We have to judge a crime comedy by two parameters in the absence of great films being made: Is the comedy enjoyable? Are the characters behaving consistently? On these two counts, 'DJ Tillu' is a winner.

Most crime comedies struggle to achieve the status of a medium-range film. 'DJ Tillu' didn't have to. Like last year's 'Jathi Ratnalu', it made a grand announcement with its trailer. The backing of a respected production house (Sithara Entertainments) did further magic. But it's not just the names that are associated with the film that did the trick. The work of Thaman speaks for itself. This is one of the best background scores in recent times, not just for a film belonging to one genre but among all genres. Call it the screenplay writer's talent or the director's vision, Thaman's BGM is consistent and imaginative. Even when Narra Srinivas' character gesticulates with a clap, the BGM composer is looking at delivering a bang.

Sai Prakash Ummadisingu's cinematography makes the streets of Hyderabad look polished while not letting the film lose its rooted moorings. The costumes are flashy.

The romantic track is brief and the film steps into the actual plot after the terrific song 'Pataas Pilla'. A naive Tillu walks into the trap literally dancing. In retrospect, he realizes that it was a dance of bad luck. Siddhu, who has written the story and dialogues, is totally unpredictable in the way he reacts to his unenviable fate. He makes us laugh at his misery right till the end. He sees "disturbing visuals" and sanitizes them before conveying them to the audience.

This is a game-changer for Siddhu. He has arrived. Neha Shetty is another talent to watch out for. Brahmaji hasn't been reimagined but Prince Cecil has surely been shown in a new avatar. The characters they play don't overstay their welcome. Their entry is not cliched.

The second part of the film will have more space for Radhika, who is sidelined for a good part of the second half of 'DJ Tillu'.

Verdict:

'DJ Tillu' is a commercial, new-age comedy. Like 'Jathi Ratnalu', this one is yet another dialogue-driven, characterization-oriented, eccentric, engaging comedy.