BOTTOM LINE
Epic Blunder
RATING
1.75/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 43m
What Is Hari Hara Veera Mallu About?
Hari Hara Veera Mallu (Pawan Kalyan) is a thief who steals from the rich and gives it to the poor. He is hired by the Golconda ruler Tanashah to bring back the Kohinoor from Delhi.
Did Veeramallu succeed in bringing back the diamond? What are the troubles he faces on the way is the movie’s basic story.
Performances
Pawan Kalyan is seen in a period film for the first time. His costumes look different, but when it comes to the acting and mannerisms, it is the typical commercial Pawan Kalyan we usually see.
The good thing is that there is very little cringeworthy in the act despite the ‘commercial act’. Everything flows smoothly with action and comedy being part of the character. The few emotional beats seen during the last hour are okay. However, the biggest issue is his dubbing — it feels awkward whenever we hear his dialogues. It’s completely off, and one wouldn’t expect this problem in a star hero’s film. Overall, it is just another role for the star and doesn’t turn out to be a memorable part that one might have expected given the period setting.
Nidhi Agerwal surprisingly has a decent role irrespective of the length. She has nothing much acting-wise, but we get some character development and importance for her as part of the narrative. She does it well.
Analysis
Krish Jagarlamudi and AM Jyothi Krishna direct Hari Hara Veera Mallu. It is an alternate reality historical fiction set against the backdrop of the Mughal Empire during the 17th Century.
The movie starts with a mining sequence in Kollur during the year 1650 AD. It sets up the initial block neatly and the subsequent events that follow.
The hero’s introduction and the characterisation have fresh appeal, but one can sense the flat execution. Again, a scene or two elevates the proceedings like the wrestling one, but by and large things remain flat.
Despite the issue, what holds the interest in the initial hour are the scenes and narrative that aren’t the regular type.
But, no matter what the content the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The blurry visuals, the unclear action, the dialogues they all are underwhelming and generate a sense of messiness.
By the time we get to the movie’s actual plot, it is already interval. One doesn’t get the feeling of being involved in the narrative at all.
Post intermission when things resume, initially the tone and visuals follow the cue from the first half. However, as soon as the narrative moves ahead and the plot turns towards the religious aspect, which is related to the “dharma”, the proceedings are detailed completely.
The tacky visuals add to the restlessness and the routine drama makes one squirm in the seats. The entire flashback sequence is a dampener.
Again, similar to the first half, by the time the flashback is over we reach the climax. It feels as if a large chunk of film is missing, and we are straight away brought to the preclimax, which is followed by an unfinished climax.
The emotions in both the significant portions feel forced and don’t work at all. The climax, the way it is letdown with no real conclusion to any conflict that’s been set up.
Overall, Hari Hara Veera Mallu offers a fresh premise in the initial hour, but things are derailed big time later. Both halves feel like two different films, with the latter one being extremely hard to sit through, even for die-hard fans.
Performances by Others Actors
Bobby Deol has a limited appearance in the movie. He appears at the start and then at the end. He is okay in a one-note role that only has to act cruel by killing people.
Sunil, Naasar, Subbaraju, Raghubabu and a couple of actors forming Veeramallu’s gang are alright in the small scope they get. Sathyaraj and the rest are wasted in minor appearances.
Music and Other Departments?
For the first time, MM Keeravani provides music for a Pawan Kalyan starrer. Add the historical genre, the expectations were high, also considering Krish being attached to the production. All things said, the audio has been a massive disappointment. On screen, they appear a little better, but that’s not saying much.
The good thing is barring a couple of songs, which have videos, the rest are used as background montages. It brings us to the BGM, which is the movie’s lifeline in a way. If it weren’t for it, things would have been much more difficult to process.
Gnana Sekhar VS and Manoj Paramahamsa are the cinematographers. They have distinct styles, and it reflects on the final output, as one can make out the visual inconsistency. Their work is fine, individually, but they don’t blend well. Also, the blurry and sandstorm effect added throughout gives the film a dated feel.
Poor editing could have made things much worse, but luckily that’s not the case. The proceedings move despite many other issues at hand.
The film’s biggest issue is the VFX and production values. They are terrible. The latter shouldn’t be confused with set design and costumes, which are fine, but the overall look of the movie gives an outdated vibe.
Highlights?
Basic Story
Parts of the First half
BGM
Drawbacks?
Terrible VFX (Horse Riding Scenes, An Example)
Two Different Movies (Before And After Interval)
Second Half
Flashback
Did I Enjoy It?
No, except for a few parts in the initial hour.
Will You Recommend It?
Nah.
Hari Hara Veera Mallu Movie Review by M9
Final Report:
Hari Hara Veera Mallu struggles across the board — from Pawan Kalyan’s flat-sounding dubbing and painfully weak writing to tacky VFX, clueless direction, and a terrible climax. Commercially, the film now relies heavily on PK’s stardom to stay afloat. Stay tuned for the detailed Hari Hara Veera Mallu review coming soon.
First Half Report:
The first half of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, though it starts on an interesting note and offers a few engaging moments, feels largely flat overall. The film now needs a strong second half to compensate and truly deliver.
— Interesting take-off for Hari Hara Veera Mallu with a diamond backdrop, followed by Aurangzeb’s entry and then Veera’s arrival. Stay tuned for the U.S. premiere report.
Hari Hara Veera Mallu marks a unique chapter in Pawan Kalyan’s filmography—not just for the time it took to release, but also for aligning with the audience’s current taste for period and offbeat films. It was started by director Krish and completed by producer AM Ratnam’s son, Jyothi Krishna. Stay tuned for the Hari Hara Veera Mallu review and U.S. premiere report.
Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol and Nidhhi Agerwal
Directors: Jyothi Krisna & Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: A.M. Rathnam
Banner: Mega Surya Production
Director of Photography: Manoj Paramahamsa, Gnana ShekarV.S.
Music: MM Keeravaani
Production Designer: Thota Tharrani
Editor: KL Praveen
Action: Nick Powell, Syam Kaushal, Peter Hein, Ram-Laxman, Dilip Subbarayan, Stunt Silva, Todor Lazarov (Juji), Dragon Prakash, Vijay.
Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra, Pranava Chandra.
Sound Design: Kannan Ganpat
VFX Head: Srivenkatesan.
VFX Supervisor: Pavan Kumar Endarapu,
U.S. Distributor: Prathyangira Cinemas
Hari Hara Veera Mallu Movie Review by M9
