Where is Vidya Balan Review

The director of 'Katha', Srinivas Raga, tries his hand at crime comedy and the quirky characters he relies on to deliver goods prove to be a shot in the arm.  If the trailers promised a good deal of thrills, the film lives up to the image it evoked.  The characters conjure up very many quirky images.  Sampoornesh Babu who is less than on steroids looks understated for his oeuvre!  Jayaprakash Reddy metamorphoses into a 'teda' with a heart.  Asish Vidhyarthi can be an upright police officer and get down to being as madcap as Sampu when he is with Sampu.  Shankar Melkote has a Hormone Meter that can tell how masculine enough one is.

Kiran (Prince) is a Pizza delivery boy who can be a Puri Jagannadh hero - delivering 'I love you..' as soon as possible, in the very first scene he meets the heroine.  Swathi (Jyothi Setti) is a doctor in a private hospital, her superior at the hospital is Rao Ramesh, a doctor who comes across as a sensitive person with a generous heart.  Valther Vasu (Madhu) is Swathi's 'bava'.  He locks horns with Kiran when Swathi begins to fall for him. Meanwhile, there is a crime story going on in parallel and it involves Puli Naidu (JP) and an unlikely villain.

The trouble begins when Kiran and Vasu, two rivals, end up crossing their path with Pankaj Kesari, the hitman deployed to catch hold of 'Vidya Balan'.

It is a roller coaster ride involving very many characters, Prince, Jyothi Setti, Asish Vidhyarthi, Pankaj Kesari, Madhu, and the unlikely villain.  The one aim is to lay their hands on Vidya Balan, to which are tied their fate.

Srinivas Raga makes a decent attempt at dishing out a crime comedy that is narrated through curious characters.  Sampu is back as Ghanta, the self-styled gangster with buffoonic henchmen.  He ends up committing gaffes with good intentions; in his anxiety to redeem Puli Naidu, he commits a series of blunders that culminate into a comedic climax.  His disability comes in handy to add fun to proceedings.

Relying on the characters and their quirks, the film presents some elements like parody.  Banking on Pawan Kalyan's craze is a scene that juxtaposes itself with footage 'Badri'.  Interwoven around the crime comedy is a romantic track.  Prince and Jyothi strike good chemistry; romance is in store in the midst of hot pursuit.  The seductress avatar proves the heroine has oomph for sure.

The item song that comes just before the interval is another plus as it raises the tempo.  Another song (Arere endidi..) that defines the hot happenings is good in terms of the concept.

Sapthagiri entertains with his kind of dialogues.  Tagubothu Ramesh adds to the confusion and frustration of none other than Sampu.  Imagine Sampu being taken for a ride by someone obsessed with liquor.

The climax has a surprise in store and it is Raga's signature, again.

If Rao Ramesh is at his intense self, Pankaj Kesari as the professional killer proves he has the right talent in him.  He, together with Asish Vidyarthi, lend the film a dose of seriousness.

The dialogues are funny and come with coinages like mad flowers (no prizes for guessing the intention).  Prabhas Srinu and JP raise the roof in the climax, complete with the comedy of errors with Sampu in tandem.

Prince and Jyothi make a good pair.  Rao Ramesh, JP and others do their part well.  There should have been less dose of Madhu.

Verdict: A good narration, 'Where is Vidya Balan' is a good crime comedy.