Annapurna Photo Studio Review – Bland Retro Thriller

BOTTOM LINE
Bland Retro Thriller

OUR RATING
2/5

CENSOR
U, 2h 8m

What Is the Film About?

Set in the late Eighties when the petrol price was rupees 17 per litre, Annapurna Photo Studio is about Chanti (Chaitanya Rao), a guy who tries to commit suicide. His father is a famous astrologer that everyone in the surrounding areas rever. He also has a lover Gauthami.

Why did Chanti take the extreme step? Is it connected to Gauthami, or is there something else? The movie’s basic plot is the answer to these questions.

Performances

Chaitanya Rao suits the character of Chanti to the T. It is a tailor-made role for him, much like his most popular web series outing. The ‘age’ plays a crucial role here as well, but there is an additional bit of heroism undertone to it for the movie.

The comic timing and expressions related to the frustration are done well by Chaitanya Rao. There is some awkwardness when trying to be physically funny, like trying to imitate yesteryear star ANR at places or rigidness when being a little heroic. Apart from that, he is fine.

Lavannya Sahukara suits the milieu well. The Godavari girl image with a simple bubbly look is on the spot. It isn’t a commercial outing in the typical sense, even though romance and songs exist. It works to her advantage. However, she suddenly disappears for a significant portion and doesn’t have many impactful scenes to leave an impact.

Analysis

Chendu Muddu of Oka Pitta Katha fame directs Annapurna Photo Studio. It is another simple tale set in the small town of Andhra side. This time he goes back in time, making the whole thing even simpler.

The movie opens with an intriguing note. The simplicity of the tale is evident simultaneously. What keeps things engaging is the screenplay. The non-linear approach taken is a good choice.

Getting into the actual content, the narrative is filled with agist humour. However, it all is done with a lot of earnestness. One doesn’t mind it, but it feels overdone after a point. Some of the gags related to it work now and then. For example, A scene involving the hero, heroine and the latter’s father is subtly done and lands superbly. The only wish here is that there was more of this.

The love story also mainly comprises the ‘age-related’ fear and seems repetitive. Again, the screenplay keeps one engaged despite the predictability and other issues. The interval has nothing big, but it’s enough (within the context) to look forward to the second half.

Things take a different turn in the second half. The love story is no more the crux of the proceedings. Introducing a few new characters and an incident changes the whole thing. It is also linked to the astrological aspect, but the entire proceeding lacks a smooth transition. It all looks jarring.

The idea used to take the screenplay forward, i.e. police going through the flashback (allowing the non-linear screenplay), also seems to be overdone. The excitement expressed by them doesn’t match the content on screen.

The jarring shift in tone -from a romantic drama to a thriller, leaving out a vital thread (hero’s age issue related to the heroine, acceptance of the father) gives a dissatisfaction despite the newly formulated twists and turns.

There is a visible influence of senior director Vamsi here, who specialises in Godavari-based dramas cum comedy. He also neatly mixed thriller elements to them that heightened the dramatic tension exponentially. We see the same format here, but the sharpness and smoothness are missing.

Overall, Annapurna Photo Studio is a decent attempt to give us a Vamsi-styled comic thriller. However, it lacks the grip and wit of those classics. It is okay at best but lacks theatrical appeal. Try it if you like those flicks, and have zero expectations.

Performances by Others Actors

Uttara Reddy and Mihirah are the other female actors in the flick. The former plays the sister role and is fine. She suits the nativity and the character. The latter has a smaller but integral part. She is related to the backseat with nothing substantial performance-wise, tough.

The friend’s gang play a crucial role in the movie. Among them, Viva Raghav easily stands out. He is good with the timing, and they all look easy. Lalitha Aditya follows him and is alright. Yash Rangineni, the film’s producer, also plays a crucial role. He looks fit and fine.

Vasu Inturi registers and a couple of others among the police batch. The rest have a scene or two, but that’s it.

Music and Other Departments?

Prince Henry attempts to give a vintage touch to the music. The ‘Rangamma’ song (along with its picturisation) is okay, but the rest don’t register much. The background score, too, is alright, at best.

Technically, the movie doesn’t boast of high quality. The cinematography (Pankaj Tottada) gives a small-scale series vibe. The editing provides a leisurely and lazy feel to the proceedings. The writing (mainly the fun) works in parts.

Highlights?

Screenplay

Short Run-time

Few Comic Punches

Drawbacks?

Weak Story

Regular Characterizations

Repetitive Humor

Inconsistent Narrative

Did I Enjoy It?

Few Parts

Will You Recommend It?

Yes, But With Huge Reservations

Annapurna Photo Studio Movie Review by M9News