'Karthikeya 2' hit the screens today. In this section, we are going to review the latest box office release.

Story:

Dr Karthikeya (Nikhil Siddhartha) is a humanistic doctor who believes that the mind has extraordinary powers. He is an atheist who ends up being chosen by Lord Krishna to unlock mysterious secrets hidden in Dwaraka and more.

Meanwhile, Dr. Santanu (Adithya Menon), the evil leader of a secret society, is out to prevent Karthikeya from doing the needful. Can the protagonist, in collaboration with Mugdha (Anupama Parameswaran) and others, do something extraordinary for the sake of humanity?

Analysis:

Director Chandoo Mondeti attempts to make a comeback with a bang with this mystical adventure drama, an ambitious spectacle cinema laced with references to mythology, Hindu Gods, coveted knowledge, ancient mysteries, and more. At the outset, the film declaims that it's a fictional story. And mythology and history shared a blurred realm in the context of this out-and-out pro-Bharatiya movie. In the initial portions, the backstory involves Lord Krishna and a noble man whose mission spans millennia.

Kaala Bhairava's background music sustains the genre from start to end. Like 'Bimbisara', this film too benefits from a score that transcends the limitations of the script. Even the ending is effective mainly because of the lead to a third part and the montage song. Karthik Gattamaneni effectively straddles the worlds of cinematography and editing. The Dwaraka and the Rann of Kutch portions stand out. The VFX team does a mixed job, given the Lord Krishna portions are at the level of perked-up animation.

Nikhil's performance is balanced. His measured dialogue delivery, restrained expressions, and sincere vibes lend a lot to his character. He didn't need to share perfect chemistry with anybody for his character to work. As such, he is not constrained by the script. Anupama looks confident in all the scenes. She is also not made a part of a silly rom-com. On the other hand, Adithya Menon and KS Sridhar (seen as Prof. Rao) are just about okay. Srinivas Reddy and Viva Chemudu try hard to evoke laughs. Anupam Kher is reduced to a cameo. Tulasi is an over-emotional mother. Satya and Praveen have inconsequential roles.

Script-wise, the film needed better ideas for the second half to soar effectively. After a point, the stakes don't look too high. If the film continues to hold attention, it is because of the world-building, the mystical quality of the plot, and the technical elements.

The film surely needed to raise the stakes after a good first half. But it is only the last 20 minutes that really matter.

As things stand, 'Karthikeya 2' is poised to be a go-getter in commercial terms. What works in its favour are multiple merits, which are quite obvious. The production values come together to milk the premise.

Verdict:

'Karthikeya 2' is a mixed bag. Excellent technical values and a solid premise work in its favour. The writing falters in the second half.