Less Bold, Zero Soul
OUR RATING
1.25/5
CENSOR
‘A’Certified, 2 hrs 19 mins
Koti (Ashish Gandhi) is a good heart village ruffian who solves all the problems of the village people. He is madly in love with Parvati (Ashima Nerwal). What happens when the truth about Parvati is revealed is what the film is all about?
How Is Ashish Gandhi’s Performance?
Ashish Gandhi fits the looks department of the template village drama that we are watching off late in Telugu cinema which is supposed to be raw and rustic. Now, if only looks were enough, Ashish would have passed muster, but unfortunately, in movies, he has to act and convey certain emotions. The actor fails in that department. He has only one expression for every emotion. Ashish is right in action scenes which he is evidently enjoying. Apart from that, there are ‘lust’ moments which has been what the movie is using as the selling point; he is alright in them.
Kalyanji Gogana’s direction is weak. He has a decent story in hand, but the way it has been executed looks amateurish. The basic idea seems to be there as the setup shows, but the way it has been presented and shot leave a lot to be desired.
[m9ad]
The movie begins interestingly, only to leave the exciting element immediately and focus on the money shots of the lead pair. The romance is village style raw love, which feels overdone after a point. Apart from that, the ‘heroic’ problem-solving nature of the hero, comes across as formulaic pretty soon as it is one issue after the other and the hero has a simple solution for everything.
Some interest is generated in the second half due to a glimmer of hope of progress in the story. There is also a twist, which admittedly is unpredictable because one is led in a wrong direction entirely until that point. Post that, the narration fast-tracks to the climax which is again good in idea but weak in execution.
In short, the second half has some moments, but those are not enough to save the overall disastrous execution. Barring the fights, and one twist there is nothing in the movie that is half engaging. If the lust filled love scenes are what brought you in, there is bound to be disappointment on that score, as well. Natakam had the potential to be a decent village based mass outing, but its an opportunity squandered big time.
Ashima Nermal has been given a typical heroine role when we look at it in entirety. There is no scope to perform, and she is used for her glamour. The rest of the cast is filled with mostly unknown names apart from few senior character actor faces. None have an essential role as the hero. It is another aspect where the director has failed big time.
Music by Sai Kartheek is forgetful. The background music is far better in comparison with a few bits being outstanding and elevating the movie to higher standards, in the process. The cinematography is ordinary. The editing is neat. The writing is superficial by and large.
Parts of Second Half
Twist
Climax
Drawbacks?
Lack of strong supporting actors
Screenplay
Direction
Alternative Take
A better build-up of the gang into the narrative in Khakee movie style and thereby correctly linking it to the main track and the subsequent ending.
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
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