Sakhia (Na Tho Ra) Review

For many Telugu directors, it is always a dilemma to decide on whether to make a film on a love subject or on the larger than life factional feuds. It is a conundrum that is difficult to crack.

So when Jayant C Paranji decided to make a film that combines the two, he must have felt it to be a smart decision. But after seeing the film, you feel he was only clever by half. Sakhiya shows that the twain shall never meet.

Durga Devi (Lakshmi) is a cunning and scheming factionist leader. She gets hold of Hari (Tarun) who is need of urgent money and tricks him to get Chandana (Nauhid), the daughter of her rival. Durga tells Hari that Chandana is her own daughter.

Believing her, Hari goes to Switzerland and woos Chandana in right earnest. After typical exchanges, the two fall in love. But when they arrive back in India, Hari understands that Durga had wanted Chandana to take revenge on her rival (Raj Kumar).

The hero then goes on to fight out the deception and duplicity and wins his girl's hand.

For Tarun, making an appearance after nearly a year, the film is a disappointment. He is good as a lover boy. But he looks inadequate and lost as a youth caught in the encircling politics of factional fights. Nauhid looks pretty and is very bold in songs. Need a Telugu actress do more? Lakshmi, as Durga Devi, shows that she has not lost not much of her original poise and talent. She shows what professionalism is all about with a consummate performance.

The music of Mani Sharma, though predictable, is easy on the ears. The technical departments come up with glitzy show. But Jayanth as the director has let the film drop between two stools.