BOTTOM LINE
Moderate Vegam
RATING
2.25/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 16m
What Is the Film About?
Venkat and Raju are step-brothers from Rajannapeta. Their father is a simple and humble man and raised them with honesty.
George and David start as rowdies and grow powerfully controlling the entire Hyderabad City and its politics.
What happens when Venkat’s father is termed critically ill requiring a huge amount for operation? How do the brothers get involved with the dreaded gangsters? Did they escape and what happens to the father is the overall story.
Performances
Karthikeya gets a character that suits him well. The small-town part may be a bit of a stretch given his urban personality and looks, but that’s not an issue as most of the movie happens in the city.
The role offers Karthikeya a decent mix of emotion and action. He is very sincere in the former and does action with ease when the opportunity presents itself. It is a clinically done part that serves the purpose and that’s it. There’s nothing memorable here.
Rahul aka Tyson of Happy Days fame appears in a movie after a gap. He plays a soft, timid guy, an opposite in personality to Karthikeya. He gets enough scenes to highlight his dramatic skills and he is okay. The vulnerability of the character is brought out neatly.
Analysis
Prashant Reddy directs Bhaje Vaayu Vegam. It is a drama that follows a crime caper screenplay where all the events happen in a day.
The movie begins on an intriguing note with the scene at the police station. The flashback commences immediately and we get a prolonged melodrama until the pre-interval mark.
The screenplay neatly blends the crime angle, albeit in small portions in the first half, into the drama. It is the movie’s mainstay in the second half.
The real interest in the proceedings of Bhaje Vaayu Vegam commences around the pre-interval mark when the desperate brother Venkat resorts to desperate acts for the treatment money. Although, nothing shocking, small twists and turns hold interest and make one look forward to the second half.
The tension resumes post-interval as the narrative takes a new turn here. The one-day racy screenplay narrative also begins here.
Usually, the proceedings, especially in Telugu cinema look rushed lacking excitement when a screenplay of this type is attempted. Bhaje Vaayu Vegam surprisingly avoids that and maintains a grip. The main reason here is the well-constructed individual scenes and conversations between the protagonist and antagonist.
The scenes involving Ravi Shankar come out decently due to the writing. The undercurrent tinge of fun is what keeps things together as there is nothing unpredictable happening here.
Despite the largely engaging movement, the proceedings do turn repetitive after a point mainly related to the drama. The thrills too lack the impact. But, things once again are partially on track towards the end. The climax despite all the issues gives a moderately satisfying feeling.
Overall, Bhaje Vaayu Vegam is a decent crime thriller with a neatly woven screenplay and writing in parts. If you don’t mind the utterly predictable and overly melodramatic initial hour, give it a try for the intermittently engaging hour that follows next.
Performances by Others Actors
Ishwarya Menon is a namesake heroine. She does have a song with the hero but is more like another character in the movie. The role does have a minor prominence in the second hour which makes it worth it. Tanikella Bharani gets a highly dramatic part and is fine as expected.
The surprise of the movie and show stealer is Ravi Shankar here. His moments hold the second half together along with the hero. The same can’t be said about Sarath Lohitswa. He goes missing in action after a good start and surfaces again only towards the end with intermittent visibility in between. Pruthvi is seen in a small role and is underutilised. Sudarshan is okay and a friend coasting along with the brothers. The rest of the cast gets small parts and is mostly forgettable.
Music and Other Departments?
Technically the movie has the presence of big names like Radhan as music director, cinematography by RD Rajasekhar etc. However, Radhan’s songs are weak here. Nothing sticks. Kapil Kumar J’s background score is impactful and elevates the proceedings in the second half. The recurring shout heard through at key moments is trippy and good. The editing is decent although one can feel the narrative being lengthy. The writing is passable in that it works alright within the setting even though nothing stands out.
Highlights?
Screenplay
Ravi Shankar
BGM
Second Half
Drawbacks?
Over Routine Melodrama
First Hour
Repetitiveness After A Point
Did I Enjoy It?
Partly, yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, if you like crime thrillers but don’t have high expectations
Bhaje Vaayu Vegam Movie Review by M9
