"Peka Medalu" tells the story of a young man residing in the slums who harbors grand dreams of becoming rich quickly. The film explores the consequences of his ambitious aspirations and how they impact his personal life, driving the narrative forward.

Story

Lakshman (Vinoth Kishan), an engineering graduate living in a slum with his wife Varalakshmi (Annosha Krishna) and son, dreams of striking it rich. He works as a real estate agent and indulges in gambling, borrowing money from anyone he can, while Varalakshmi supports the family by working as a maid and trying to start a tiffin centre.

This precarious existence takes a surprising turn when Lakshman encounters a beautiful NRI (Rethika Srinivas), leading to a chain of unexpected events that form the heart of the narrative.

Analysis

Vinoth Kishan delivers a convincing performance, showcasing the frustration of a man burdened by his failures through his male-dominated body language. He channels this frustration onto his wife, highlighting the dynamics of power imbalance in their relationship. Annosha Krishna excels as the helpless yet ambitious wife, skillfully portraying her mixed emotions.

Rethika Srinivas shines in her role as the NRI girl, while other actors, including Pradeep Raparthi, Muralidhar Goud, Anusha Nuthula, Ganesh Thipparaju, and Sruti Meyer, perform effectively within their respective roles.

Director Neelagiri Mamilla successfully portrays the realities of slum life, showcasing the dangers of gambling addiction and the pitfalls of infidelity. The story, while simple, effectively addresses themes of female empowerment and male chauvinism in a subtle manner.

Unfortunately, the screenplay falls into predictable and routine patterns, resulting in a flat narrative. The repetitive scenes featuring the lead pair test the patience of viewers, and the slow pace of the story lacks any real twists or turns, making for a tedious watch despite the film's short runtime. From beginning to end, the narrative follows a similar trajectory, lacking emotional depth. By the film's conclusion, viewers might feel like they've returned to square one, as the protagonist's situation remains unchanged while the female lead experiences personal growth.

Srujana Adusumilli's editing leaves much to be desired, with numerous repetitive scenes that ultimately irritate the audience. Smaran Sai's music is merely average, and the background score is adequate. Harichan K's cinematography is commendable, capturing the film's events with a natural and realistic aesthetic. The dialogues are satisfactory, and the production values are average.

Verdict

"Peka Medalu" unfortunately falls into the trap of being a predictable slum story, lacking genuine emotional depth and falling into repetitive elements. While the actors deliver commendable performances, director Neelagiri Mamilla could have benefited from a more thorough script and screenplay development process before moving forward with the project.