'GodFather' hit the screens today (October 5). In this section, we review the latest box office release.

Story:

Brahma (Chiranjeevi), who has been away from the rough and tumble of Andhra Pradesh politics for many years, makes a comeback when Chief Minister PKR passes away all of a sudden. He has to stop Jaidev (Satya Dev, a CM aspirant), the evil husband of Sathyapriya (Nayanthara), who is PKR's daughter. Power games ensue away from the public glare as Jaidev strikes a deadly deal with a violent drug lord. The rest of the film is about how Brahma gets mired in a web of deceit, how he comes out of it, and how he teaches Jaidev the lesson of his life.

Analysis:

When this Telugu remake of 'Lucifer' (Malayalam) was announced, the first thought that crossed one's mind was this: Will Mohanlal's stoic character, enriched with occasional one-liners, be masala-fied further? For, the Megastar and the excessively larger-than-life sensibilities of mainstream Telugu cinema demand that Brahma can't appear to be dull at any moment. Director Mohan Raja, in remaking 'Lucifer', gets the characterization right, as he elevates Brahma aka godfather with conviction. The second hour is way superior in terms of eliciting whistles from the audience.

Chiranjeevi brings nuance to his knockout performance. He is enjoyable in the mass scenes, especially when he has to look wise. This is a classy performance ably backed by Lakshmi Bhupal's inventive lines that get punchy. Director Mohan Raja is on par with mass Tollywood directors in terms of understanding how to serve his superstardom.

Satya Dev's Jaidev engages the viewer with his menacing ways; wish there was an element of whimsicality to the character. When he stakes his life, you know he is a powerful antagonist whose greed is all-consuming. His confrontation with Brahma is packed with highs. Satya Dev delivers a charming output, especially with his dialogue delivery.

Nayanthara's character is not reduced to a crybaby who needs help. The plot turns give enough elbow room for her to move in and out of the story with a purpose. Murali Sharma and Samuthirakani are fun to watch throughout, never letting the heavy plotting get onto our nerves. Brahmaji is slightly miscast. Tanya Ravichandran, Anasuya Bharadwaj and Divi Vadthya are also seen in meaningful parts. Puri Jagannadh acts like acting has been his primary vocation.

Salman Khan's lovable performance is over-clouded by the nature of the story. His character is reviting more than the action accompanying it.

It's the sequence of the story that gives this film a rare touch. The interval block is more than a thoroughly enhanced version of what was seen in the original. The remake had to get the start, middle and final portions better. And it does get them that way. It's good that Tovino Thomas' pointless character from the original has been done away with.

Thaman's background score is never dull. Nirav Shah's work is outstanding.

Verdict:

'Godfather' is a power-packed remake that knows the pulse of the Telugu audience. Chiranjeevi puts the failure of 'Acharya' behind and surges ahead.