In a scene that brings out the unusual touch of Hanu Raghavapudi, Nani is seen narrating a dream-like imaginary situation to his friend Sathyam Rajesh - a scene where 'you' in his sentences is actually himself in the visuals. In another episode, gruesome attacks are portrayed with a sense of understatedness, and the audience has no clue about the gravity of the situation until Annapurnamma makes us feel the existential threat faced by some important characters. The director of 'Andala Rakshasi' fame balances intelligent screenplay with large doses of run-of-the-mill entertainment, presenting them in his own style.
The film begins with telling the story of the unending rivalry between Rajanna and Appi Raju - one good and the other, evil. Krishna (Nani) is a timid youngster who has been in love with Mahalakshmi (Mehreen Pirzada), the sister of Rama Raju (Harish Uttaman), the gutsy guard of Rajanna. Krishna and his sweetheart keep their love affair a secret from everyone, including their best friends. There comes a godsend situation which Nani hopes to bank upon, waving his 'Jai Balayya' tattoo as if he were on a picnic, but least does he realize that he will have to face certain situations he wouldn't have asked for. The second half is about how Krishna ends up in a difficult situation as different stakeholders frighten him, become dear to him, or take him for granted.
On the face of it, KVPG is a very good idea. However, one wouldn't have walked into the theatre expecting the comedy scenes to be better than the other elements in such a 'veera prema gaadha'. That is exactly what happens here, perhaps to the film's detriment.
The first half packs in rib-tickling situations involving Nani, Mehreen, and Satyam Rajesh. Hanu and Jai Krishna's dialogues are smart here. Sampath as an ACP gets the right characterization. The second half is a cat-and-mouse chase that engages Nani and the children (Baby Naini, Master Pratham, and Baby Moksha) in a roller-coaster ride, culminating in a race against time, and Krishna's metamorphosis into a brave one.
As for the love story, its one superb moment comes when Mahalakshmi, forgetting about the best kept secret of her love affair with Krishna, asks her brother if any harm happened to Krishna, goes to his place running, and the whole scene ends with the two lovebirds savouring their time in wedding day attire. "Migatha ammayilu yedisthe parvaledu, nuvvu yedisthe kallu mastipothay" is the one memorable line in that episode.
The songs are a treat to watch, especially the melody 'Nuvvante Na Navvu'.
All said, it's an irony that in a 'veera' title like this, the two villains end up being scandalized by the buffoons around. The Appiraju-Rajanna episode builds up the tempo, only to be sidelined pitilessly as Brahmaji arrives with a bang, doing comedy. Nothing wrong, but since the story has nothing much for Appiraju, why build an Athadu-like aura around him in the first place?
David Ibrahim (Murali Sharma) is introduced with all seriousness and reduced to a comedian with all sincerity. Murali Sharma's character is fun to watch. The helplessness of a dreaded terrorist as cop Jamadagni (Prithvi Raj) and tax driver Prabhas Sreenu belittle him, is a good element.
Hanu essentially banks on such comical elements rather than the love story.
In comparison, the episodes involving Nani and the children are not high on entertainment quotient. The emotional bonding between them toward the climax is a very good element that will work in the film's favour. The last 15 minutes raises the audience's interest after being slow throughout the second half.
All the technical departments do a fantastic job. Vishal Chandrasekhar's music and BGM are good. Yuvaraj's cinematography is another big asset.
After a forgetful nerd, Nani shines in a timid guy's role. He is complemented by Mehreen, who surprises with her subdued performance. Sampath is a big asset. Sathyram Rajesh is overshadowed by Prithvi Raj. Prabhas Sreenu is ok. The three children pass muster.
Verdict: A 'veera gaadha' that ironically has comedy as its major asset. Watch it for the performances and the technical finesse.
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