There can be no guy more desperate than Vadde Naveen in Tollywood. Like a thirsty man looking for water in an arid desert, Naveen has been looking for that elusive hit.
Sometimes they eluded him because of his own fault. Sometimes it is because the films were badly made. In the event, he badly needed somebody who was ready to take a different route.
In Kanmani he seems to have found one.
Naa Oopiri, by a long stretch, is the best film that Vadde Naveen has acted so far. The story and its treatment is indeed refreshing.
If only the director had speeded up the tempo and added some more urgency into the scheme of things Naa Oopiri would have certainly become great from being merely good.
The film is about two persons --- Venu (Naveen) and Gowri (Sangeetha). They are orphans who live together since their childhood. They also tie the knot. So where is the hitch? Well, it is in the form of the mental problem (suddenly that seems to be the fad of the day) that Venu has.
He is a schizophrenic and he assumes a lot of things. And that is the crux of the problem as another girl Madhu (Anjana) enter their peaceful lives. Now things change. How? Well, telling it would be too much. But the climax is indeed has a good surprise.
Vadde Naveen sure has an author-backed role and he has grabbed the chance with his two hands.
He is comfortable in a complex role, coming up with a convincing display. Sangeetha, too, long wasted in glamour roles is a good foil to him.
She is gritty and firm in the portrayal of a difficult role. Anjana has a small role. But she has to improve her acting if she is pretty serious about her career.
The music of the film, by Deepak Dev, is nothing extraordinary. But it is not a total let down. Krishna's camera work is very good in conveying the mood of the occasion, which is very vital to a film like this.
The film is however carried forward by Kanmani's mature handling. He lets the story evolve (even at the risk of reducing the tempo).
He has obviously been inspired by Hollywood flicks. But that doesn't take anything away from his own efforts. The film is not run of the mill and does not fall into the trap of cliches.
Naa Oopiri deserves a dekho simply for that.
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