BOTTOM LINE
Flat Start, Decent Finish
RATING
2.5/5
Story, Screenplay & Director: Murali Kishor Abburu
Cast: Akhil Akkineni, Bhagyashri Borse, Sivaji, Sunil, Getup Srinu, Brahmaji, Ramki, Easwari Rao, Sudharshan
Music Director: S. Thaman
DOP: Leon Britto
Editor: Navin Nooli
Producer: Nagarjuna Akkineni, Suryadevara Naga Vamsi
Presented By: Annapurna Studios
Production Company: Manam Enterprises LLP & Sithara Entertainments
U.S. Distributor: Shloka Entertainments
Related Links: Trailer
What Is the Film About?
Lenin (Akhil Akkineni), who shoulders the responsibility of the village’s Bharatham Mitta tradition, becomes the biggest victim of betrayal by the people around him. What happens in the end forms the high-level story of the Lenin movie.
Performances
Akhil plays the title role of Lenin, delivering a largely restrained performance that stays away from the usual mass heroics. For most of the film, his performance is subtle, but in a couple of key emotional blocks, he gets the opportunity to showcase his acting abilities. He makes the most of those moments, displaying noticeable growth as a performer and leaving a positive impression.
Bhagyashri Borse is undoubtedly the right choice for the role opposite Akhil. She fits the part well and has a good screen presence. However, her character deserved stronger writing to leave a lasting impact. As it stands, she delivers a decent performance in a role that doesn’t give her much to work with.
Analysis
Lenin is directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, opens with an intriguing jail sequence that immediately sparks curiosity. The scene hints at the mystery surrounding Lenin, the title character played by Akhil, while Sunil’s character begins digging into his past.
The setup is promising and raises expectations.
However, once the flashback begins, the film completely loses momentum. What follows for nearly an hour is a plain and routine stretch.
Director takes a completely formulaic approach, filling the village drama with multiple characters, but almost every scene feels familiar and predictable. Whether it’s the hero-heroine track, the songs placements, or the supporting characters, everything unfolds in the most conventional way, without generating much interest. Take, for example, the crucial Bharatham Mitta tradition or how Akhil is supposed to conduct the village ritual. The foundation is so poorly written that it’s hard to take any of it seriously.
Things improve slightly during the pre-interval stretch. The narrative finally creates some curiosity and gives the film a much-needed push, even though it doesn’t completely turn things around.
The biggest issue with the first half is its weak, outdated drama. The director fails to write compelling conflicts, which are the foundation of a village drama like this. As a result, the emotional investment never builds.
Despite having several characters and enough material to create engaging conflicts, the writing never makes them compelling. The impact is minimal, and the first half ends up being only barely passable.
The second half is comparatively more engaging and offers a more intriguing narrative. A few twists thrown in at regular intervals keep the film moving and make it an improvement over the first half.
However, the biggest issue remains unchanged. The director struggles to build convincing character arcs or generate meaningful emotional drama between the characters. There are several important characters in the film, but they exist more as plot devices than emotionally engaging personalities. As a result, the relationships never feel strong enough to create the impact the story demands.
Even the biggest reveal, when Akhil’s character discovers the man behind everything, is staged in a plain and straightforward manner, highlighting how weak the writing is in the drama department. The emotional payoff simply isn’t there.
What ultimately works in the second half are a couple of well-placed twists and a standout block featuring Akhil, which make the film watchable. But overall, Lenin feels like a collection of a few effective moments rather than a cohesive, tightly written drama. That remains its biggest weakness throughout.
Overall, Lenin has a barely passable first half, but the improved second half makes it a one-time watch if you keep your expectations in check.
Performances by Other Actors
Lenin has a large supporting cast featuring familiar faces like Easwari Rao, Sivaji, Brahmaji, Sunil, Ramki, and several others. However, apart from Easwari Rao and, to an extent, Sivaji in the second half, none of the supporting actors leave an impression.
The main reason is the weak writing. None of the supporting characters receive proper development or strong character arcs, making it difficult for them to leave an impact despite the talented cast.
The actor playing Vasanth (Pramod Panju) does a good job and performs his role well. However, his appearance bears such a close resemblance to Aadi SaiKumar that it can be a bit distracting at times.
Music and Other Departments?
Thaman scores the music for the film. Except for one song (VaareVaa VaareVaa), the songs are largely forgettable. The placement of the songs also disrupts the narrative flow, making them feel even less effective on screen.
However, Thaman more than makes up for it with his background score. His BGM feels fresh, complements the mood of the film well, and elevates key moments.
Leon Britto’s cinematography is neat. While the visual style is familiar to the rustic dramas we’ve seen before, the film maintains a pleasing visual appeal throughout.
The production values by Manam Enterprises LLP, Sithara Entertainments are neat. Despite the film being set across limited locations, the overall production quality is neat and convincing.
Highlights?
Thaman’s background score
Akhil’s performance in a couple of emotional blocks
Parts of the second half
Drawbacks?
Utterly routine first half
Weakly written drama
No strong character build-up
Lack of emotional drama and payoff
Songs and their placement
Did I Enjoy It?
Not much overall. However, the film does have a few interesting moments that keep it watchable.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, but only if you keep your expectations in check. If you’re okay with a not-so-well-written drama that has a few engaging moments.
Lenin Movie Reviewed by Kalyan
#Lenin Review: Flat Start, Decent Finish
First half is mostly flat and formulaic. Despite having several characters, there’s no compelling drama, though the pre-interval to interval stretch is decent.
Second half offers a more intriguing narrative, and a standout block where Akhil shines makes the film a one-time watch if you go in with the right expectations.
Thaman’s BGM and the film’s visual appeal are definite pluses.
The director’s inability to build strong emotional drama between the characters is the film’s biggest drawback. Go for it, but keep your expectations in check.
M9 Rating: 2.5/5
— Lenin opens with NTR’s voice-over, followed by the Bhratam Mitta village backdrop and the main character introductions.Stay tuned for the report.
