Rojulu Marayi Review

'Rojulu Marayi' is a feminist's nightmare and a misogynist's delight.  Generic statements apart, Maruthi's screenplaying becomes curioser and curioser here. In this film, even ghosts are better off than the girls of this bad age (the true meaning of 'Rojulu Marayi', you know).  Needless to say, when ghosts are good in a Maruthi film, they are invariably male!  In one instance, the well-intentioned ghosts with no tainted past coerce the fully contaminated girls in the hostel (yes, a hostel full of such girls, mind it) to wear 'mangalsutras'.  The taken-for-a-ride, frustrated male here returns as a funny but focused ghost.

Adhya (Kruthika Jayakumar of 'Drushyam' fame) and her hostel roommate Ramba (Tejaswi) are double-timers cheating upon Ashwith (Chethan) and Peter (Parvatheesam).  The sincere-in-love boys faithfully court the two girls, who have a secret affair with two guys whom they want to marry.  Their visit to a baba with extra-ordinary premonition powers brings them in confrontation with their fated future: the guys who marry them will die 3 days after marriage.  Ramba cajoles Adhya into marrying the 'bakras' so that after their death they can marry the guys they really love.

Ramba and Adhya defraud Ashwith and Peter into an early marriage and cleverly postpone their first night.  They wait for them to die in three days, but no matter how many times they have a close shave with death, the guys turn out to be lucky.

What is with the fate of the guys?  Will they die as predicted by the baba?  What decision do the girls take when they find Ashwith and Peter are out to consummate their marriage tonight?  The interval bang has the answers, but post-interval the film descends into a frivolity that makes it clear the writer-director duo have nothing much to tell.

The first half is unmistakably entertaining with hilarious situations to begin with.  The second half of the first half is packed with some thrilling moments as the audience wonders what would be the fate of Ashwith and Peter.  It's a treat to watch Ramba's cruelty and Adhya's ambivalence in these portions.  The way their characterizations are etched is largely consistent.  Parvatheesam who played Peter has got a superb comic timing, thanks mainly to the kind of dialogues Ravi Nemburi has written.

Maruthi's story-telling is impressive in the first half.  Budding writers can learn a good deal from him here.  Sample this: The lorry with failed brakes doesn't come into the picture suddenly; Ramba first wishes that such a thing happens as in old films.  In one stroke, the writer puts the audience's yawn at a bay, while also projecting Ramba's cruel thinking.  Just as the two girls have contrasting personalities (though they are equally guilty), the two boys, too, are personalities in contrast.  Notice that Peter is frustrated with his girl from the beginning, slighting her at the drop of a hat (rightly so), while Ashwith is unsuspecting and dignified.

It's the second half where the film loses its way.  The Sarvam of Amrutham serial fame parodying the film 'Drushyam', Ali coming as Prof. Bumchak Balu - elements like these reduce the film to a caricature.  Had Raja Ravindra's (who plays a cop) investigation been given space amidst the circus of comedy, the second half would at least have invited some respect.  The climax is a let down and one easily sees through the attempt to force-fit a formulaic, nativity-compliant ending.

Director Murali Krishna does an OK job.  JB repeats his 'Prema Katha Chitram' tune (read 'Kothagunna Haaye'), taking the audience for granted.  The first song is good.  The cinematography could have been better.

As for the actors, Parvatheesam is a big asset.  Chethan has no much scope for performance.  Kruthika has beautiful looks, but she needs to work on her expressions.  Tejaswi is at her usual best; one hopes she continues to get good roles.  The actor who played Ramba's secret love interest is another good talent.

Verdict: Maruthi's screenplay and Ravi's dialogues in the first half are entertaining.  The second half dumbs itself down into a caricature.

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