Gentleman Review

It seems to be a season of the unusual suspects winning the game.  After Kshanam and Terror, it's the turn of Gentleman to steal a march over others.  Mohankrishna Indraganti, a fine filmmaker with unique sensibilities, deftly narrates a not-a-simple-minded plot in a way everyone can understand.
 
As the film begins, Catherene (Niveda Thomas) and Aishwarya (Surabhi) meet each other on board a flight to India.  Just to kill their time, they begin narrating their love story to each other.  In Catherene's story, Gowtham (Nani) saw her, he swooned, came to her rescue when her lecherous maternal uncle David pestered her to marry him.  In Aishwarya's story, Jay (Nani, again) the best industrialist met her, holidayed with her in Kodaikanal, fell in love with her. Between narrating their stories, Catherene and Aishwarya become best buddies. 
 
Once back in the airport, Catherene is taken aback when she realizes that Aishwarya's boy friend is none other than Gowtham.  Shocked, she goes to Gowtham's house to meet him, only to know from his mother (Rohini) that he died in an accident ten days ago. 
 
But she smells something fishy and decides to find out the truth about Gowtham's disappearance and more.  From here on, the film turns into a thriller, complete with Jay's suspicious behaviour, intrigues involving big money, a mind game, so on and so forth.
 
'Gentleman' either keeps the audience guessing all throughout, or proves their presumptions wrong toward the end.  A thriller has to outwit the most discerning audience without fail.  This one does that.  One may venture a guess about a thing or two as it is, but the genre of the climax is not predictable.  This one is a cinematic idiom straight out of Indraganti's sensibilities. 
 
A reason why Nani is most apt for the story is not because he successfully creates doubts about his character's bona fides.  The reason is that his persona is best leveraged by the climax.  Revealing how and why would kill your curiosity.  If you like Nani, you will the see the reason for yourself by the time the film ends. 
 
Indraganti handles the Nani-Niveda romantic track quite well; the action sequence invites applause.  The Nani-Surabhi track, however, borders on the kid stuff.  The Kodaikanal scenes are a case of seen-many-times stuff.  Can someone who just came to know about her lover's death previous night say 'Jet lag', keeping a stylish expression on her face?  Isn't it 'unreal'?  Also, who is the richer one?  Aishwarya or Catherene?  It's the richer one who behaves like a middle-class girl-next-door, showing curiosity about the other one's love story. 
 
Niveda's character's meatiness is a major takeaway.  While most will find Niveda's performance a major highlight of the movie, there could be a section which finds her mien too stylized, perhaps to a fault.  As part of a good film, she is destined to get a thumbs up, though.  Surabhi fits the bill quite well.  She looks beautiful and her dubbing is apt.
 
As usual, Nani is at his fabulous self.  He is simply outstanding when he breaks down and hugs Niveda in the climax scene.  His comportment as Jay deserves kudos.  Just a caveat: One only hopes people realize how below-average he was in the scene where he is hurt by David.   
 
Avasarala Srinivas' forte lies in portraying characters which are sweet boy type and here, he is just about OK.  Sri Mukhi gets a good role and she does a fine job.  Vennela Kishore's 'X' button and YouTube video comedy will have its takers.  Anand is good in a baddie's role.  Tanikella Bharani and others fit the bill.
 
Mani Sharma's music for the songs 'Gusagusalade' and 'Chali Gaali Chuudduu's is especially good.  The BGM peaks in the second half; all in all, his work is a major asset.  So also PG Vinda's cinematography. 
 
Verdict: A thriller with a difference, 'Gentleman' gives a high at a stretch while watching the second half.  Fine performances aside, it is technically of superior quality.

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