'Pushpaka Vimanam' hit the screens this Friday. Here is our review of the latest box office release.

Story:

Anand Deverakonda is Sundar, who has to hide a top secret from the world. His wife Meenakshi (played by Geeth Saini) has eloped. As he tries to save his skin, Sundar stumbles upon a shocking fact. This triggers the entry of a short-tempered cop played by Sunil, who suspects that Sundar is not what he comes across as. From this point, it's a roller coaster of emotions and thrills in Sundar's life.

Analysis:

Writer-director Damodara, who is a debutant, comes equipped with a multi-genre plot that starts off as a relationship comedy and goes on to become a murder mystery as well as a crime drama. 'Pushpaka Vimanam', which was touted to be a metaphorical title by the makers, doesn't attempt to play to the gallery even when the premise offers the opportunity for the film to get naughty.

It's a small world where Sundar meets the right kind of people at the right time. He sets up an aspiring actress (Saanve Megghana) to act as his wife and, quickly enough, she is found doing something forbidden. She is caught red-handed by Sundar's colleagues (played by VK Naresh and others; full props to the director not choosing the over-the-top Hema for the role of the female teacher). Harsha Vardhan, one of the most talented character artists, is not wasted in an inconsequential role. He is a music lover whose language and name Hindolam could be metaphorical, much like the title.

Sundar is typically timid. If he didn't study Maths (he is a Maths teacher, by the way), he would probably have behaved like Kamal Haasan's character from 'Swathi Muthyam'. The way the marital discord is built up is quite interesting.

Sunil's sub-inspector Rangam could have been etched in a better way. The character is underwhelming. The comedy emanating from his track is limited to a scene where the heavy-lifting is done by Saanve and VK Naresh.

The build-up to the climax is gripping but the revelation of the suspense could have been way more thrilling. Varsha Bollamma's cameo helps.

The songs are composed by four different music directors, with Mark K Robin piecing together their styles to deliver the kind of BGM that the film needed. The cinematography is another plus.

The comedy-thriller has its share of drawbacks. The comedy could have been much stronger. The BGM seems to scream that the audience is supposed to laugh. The slapstick comedy is found shallow in a couple of scenes.

Anand's performance is able and he looks quite like a distressed husband. Saanve is sparkling, while Sunil is average. The film is helped by able performances when the writing is found inadequate.

Verdict:

'Pushpaka Vimanam' is an atypical multi-genre film. Give it a try with ordinary expectations.