Saptagiri Express Review

BOTTOM LINE
Totally Derailed

OUR RATING
1.25/5

CENSOR
‘U/A’ Certified

What is the film about?
Saptagiri is an aspiring actor who is always causing a nuisance to his father, a sincere police constable. On an encounter operation to kill a dreaded criminal, his father is killed. What happens when his son Saptagiri is appointed as a constable in his place is what the film is all about.

How is Saptagiri’s performance?
Saptagiri’s turns as a hero in the film. When we watch the movie it feels as if the comedian has become a lead hero too soon. He doesn’t have an aura to carry a movie. He is found lacking on the big screen in that aspect. With that in mind, it is hard to sit through the movie, even though Saptagiri is trying all he could to entertain. The biggest problem is even not that, it is that Saptagiri due to full-length role feels repetitive and boring as a comedian too.

Direction By Arun Pawar?
The film has a decent story albeit a predictable one. It needed a sharp execution to make any sort of impact. That is completely absent in the movie. The direction is terrible. The emotions are never built or carried effectively. They are overdone almost all the time.

Only a handful of comedy scenes has been handled well. The rest are terrible, lacking any impact. The poor screenplay combined with this terrible direction makes Saptagiri Express a dreadful watch in cinemas. Even if one wants to kill time by watching a movie there are clearly better options.

[m9ad]

Roshini Prakash and others?
Roshini Prakash is a terrible waste. She appears only in songs. She is not part of the main narrative of the movie and is therefore largely absent. Shakala Shankar, on the other hand, has equal footage as much as the hero, removing the sentiment scenes of course. He is good and his chemistry with Saptagiri at times is probably the only silver lining in the movie. Posani Krishna Murali is okay. Sayaji Shinde is wasted. Others don’t create an impact.

Music and other departments?
Music by Bulganin is bad in a routine sort of way. Background score is forgettable. The cinematography is also not that impressive. Editing should have been better. Dialogues are mediocre.

Highlights?
Shakalaka Shankar
Saptagiri

Drawbacks?
Terrible direction
Poor screenplay
Weak story

Alternative Take

A semi-spoof of sorts with sharp dialogues and editing would make for a better viewing.

Did I enjoy it?

No

Will you recommend it?

No

Saptagiri Express Review Review by Siddhartha Toleti