Maga Maharaju Review

Picture this: The sobbing mom in a moment of grief says to his son that she wants to see his (son's) brother, who has been living with her husband with whom she separated long ago.  The emotionally moved son promises his mother that he will return with the brother.  As he goes to the town where his brother and father live, he is conned into losing all his belongings even as the con men in question turn out to be the persons he has come searching for!

This is the kind of comedy you can expect to watch in Maga Maharaju.  Directed by Sundar C, it has its rib-tickling moments.  It is entertaining as long as it stays the course of Kollywood-type quirky comedy.  Then comes some Tollywood-type mass entertainer, complete with scenes that are a throwback to an earlier era.  Sample this: Three aunts drinking kallu thinking it to be coconut water, only to later be oblivious of the romance their daughters indulge in with their three bavas.  Then comes a political contestation, winning which is not just a matter of political prestige for Ramya Krishna but also a matter of personal honour.  These elements do take the zing out of an otherwise decent entertainer.

Krishna (Vishal) is a peddler for politicians, yet (or because of that) he calls himself low-class!  Maya (Hansika) is successfully won over by him when he fakes a vidhi-driven drama.  Meanwhile, Vaibhav (Kodandarami Reddy's son) concocts a plan to draw a wedge between Krishna and Maya.  But all rivalries eventually or consequentially end in emotional bonding here.

Meanwhile, Krishna's mother asks him to get the brother (she hopes he might have become an IAS officer or a doctor, but he is a low-end swindler along with his funny father, played by Prabhu).  Krishna ends up knowing about his father's three sweetheart sisters and the fortune behind them and agrees to join hands with his father and two brothers in order to reunite the broken family.

What begins as a good, light-veined comedy descends into old-fashioned drama later on.  The comedy scenes involving Santhanam and Manobala are executed in a neat fashion.  The scenes that follow involve Santhanam and Vishal, showing that fate leaves no loose ends!

The comedy involving Vaibhav and Sateesh, too, are good.

Ramya Krishna, Aishwarya Balarkishnan and Kiran Rathod play the three aunts and there is a dose of glamorisation here as well.

Actually, it is an extension to the love story and a lot of allied family affairs, with a twist of political drama. Generations of pent up anger, family scuffle and misunderstanding with generous dosage of action to account for the grudge and scuffle.

Debutan Adhi is the new promising kid on the block, the one who composes for the youth. Gopi Amarnath's lens and Srikanth's editing work hand in hand for a vibrant picture of Ooty, Madurai and the sets.

Vishal shows verve yet again.  He could be watched out for some restrained acting, although he has become routine for some time now.  Hansika seems to have moderated on weight and that's good.  Ramya Krishna has a decently lengthy role and she doesn't fritter away the opportunity to make a comeback.

Verdict: A commercial masala entertainer that is quirky, comedic and sentimental at once.  Action is thrown in, too.  However, it lacks a strong story to win us over.

Rating: 2.25/5

'మగ మహారాజు' తెలుగు రివ్యూ కోసం ఇక్కడ క్లిక్ చేయండి