Jyo Achyutananda Review

Naughty yet emotionally sensitive characters, brothers whose warmth for each other has incrementally gone down over the years, a mother who has nothing much to do but helplessly watch her no-more-innocent sons fall apart, wives who are much like their husbands but for the fact that the latter have lost their child-likeness, and, above all, characters whose emotions have an expression through witty lines - Srinivas Avasarala's 'Jyo Achyutananda' is a soothing, mature, hilarious family entertainer that has them all and more.

Achyuth (Nara Rohith) and Anand (Naga Shourya) are brothers living under one roof along with their unsuspecting wives and widowed mother (Seetha). In an embarrassing moment, the brothers thoughtlessly take Jyotsna's (Regina Cassadra) name and the wives become curious about what all had transpired five years before their marriage.  To save their skin, the brothers narrate the tryst with Jyo in such a way that the other one is portrayed to have wooed her.   The fact of the matter is that both the brothers loved Jyo and wanted to marry her.  By a quirk of fate, their relationship with the good-hearted, career-focused Jyo ended with a tragedy and a misunderstanding.  Five years later, the brothers have an opportunity to redeem themselves.

Avasarala shows an unconventional creativity in handling delicate emotions.  At the cost of digressing, he is what happens when a Srikanth Addala and a Sukumar are rolled into one.  Culturally-rooted language and an element of mind games - he knows how to do that.  As one of the very few writer-directors with a very good grounding in the language (no, not English, but Telugu.  Please), he doesn't stop at scratching the surface.  There is a literary touch, but there is no snobbery.

Avasarala's dialogues are the film's biggest USP, but the characterizations shouldn't be left under-rated.

The financially less sound Anand derives 'kick' by boasting to his brother that the father loved him more.  The climax scene where the repentant one seeks to atone by faking it.  How often do we see such stuff in today's films?

By writing a story whose characters betray certain sensibilities (their ability to move on in one respect, but their weakness in making peace in others), the director interlaces wit and sentiment.

The tennis episode could have looked adrift but for the neat performances and innocence of the wife.  So also the painting episode.  Lines like 'Avaleelaga 6 bhashalu matladthadu.. leelaga inko 2 matladtadu' are excellent.  The element of the wives thinking they are consoling each other is intelligent.

As performances go, Naga Shourya comes first.  He comes across as the guy-next-door one when he gets emotional and that's the best about him.  Nara Rohith shines and the chemistry he shares with Shourya is a big plus for the movie.  Regina Cassandra doesn't leave the kind of impact Rashi Khanna did with 'Oohalu..', but the limitation is understandable, given that she doesn't have much space in the second half.  The wives, played by Pavani Gangireddy and another, are very good.  Tanikella Bharani and Nani are seen in a bit role and a cameo, respectively.

The frames are not as enticing as was the case with the director's first. This is a minus in a relative sense.  Regina's portions in the second half could have had better detailing.

Kalyan Koduri's music has an old-school feel about it.  It's a minus in the changing times.  Bhaskarabhatla's lyrical output complements the 'satthwik' feel and ambience.

Verdict:  A hilarious family entertainer, it's a breezy, heart-touching bromance to boot.

జ్యో అచ్యుతానంద తెలుగు వెర్షన్ మూవీ రివ్యూ