Starring: Aashish Raj, Rukshar Mir, Pradeep Rawat, Ameesha Patel, Brahmanandam, Posani, Naga Babu, Pruthvi, Suman, Raasi, Naveen Neni and others.
Music: Mani Sharma.
Cinematographer: Venkat Gangadhari.
Editor: M R Varma.
Addl. Screenplay & Dialogues: Raja Satish.
Produced by: K R Vijay Karan, K R Anil Karan, K R Kaushal Karan.
Story, Screenplay, Dialogues & Direction: Rom Bhimana.
Tagline: Expect the unexpected.
Plot:
The movie opens with a solid premise of different groups trying to find traces of a person. Then it shifts to Vikrant (Aashish Raj), a tech-savvy engineering student. He is a one stop solution for all the woes of his friends and family. There comes Anagha (Rukshar Mir) who irks certain group of students in the college and later on forms the love interest of Vikrant. A strange turn of events makes Vikrant lock horns with the most dreadful terrorist Jehangir (Pradeep Rawat). From there the film slips into the mode of an action thriller with multiple layers of intrigue piled on each other. What’s the connection between Vikranth and Jehangir, and how the former uses all his might and mettle to bring the latter to book forms the rest of the story.
Performances:
Aashish Raj: He is the new kid on the block who looks like a seasoned actor on screen. His years of theatre experience comes handy in the way he pulls of emotional and comical scenes with poise and perfection. He is here to stay.
Rukshar Mir: She is two films old in Kannada and marks her Telugu debut with this film. There is lot of romantic air in the first half and she makes it pleasant with her performance. He cherubic smile is to die for.
Pradeep Rawat: There can’t be a better antagonist with menacing looks than him. When he utters the word ‘Surprise’ it echoes all around and stays with you forever. Arguably, in recent times, this is his finest portrayal as a villain.
Suman: He plays a super cool father who provides an emotional anchor in the pre-interval sequence. He is perfect in his role.
Raasi: She does a fabulous job as a doting mother and her revelation in the pre-interval sends shock waves.
Naveen Neni: He ably supports Aashish’s Vikranth and keeps on increasing the comic quotient with each passing scene.
Naga Babu: He plays his favorite role of a cop and adds lot of grace to it.
Ameesha Patel: She dazzles in a special song.
Ramki: The film marks a solid comeback for Ramki. He puts of performance that’s replete with grit and gumption.
Brahmanandam: He thrills as the surprise element Kabali. However, his role is short-lived.
Posani: This is a done to death role for him. He adds nothing much to his portrayal.
Pruthvi: He sparks his brilliance as a powerstar fan. This is the most LOL scene of the film.
Analysis:
Director Rom Bhimana should get a pat on the back for handling such a risky project. He reignites the lost vehicle of ‘action thriller’ genre in Tollywood by adding a tinge of style that raises the bar of cinema. The first half is laced with comedy and fine twists that pay off in the latter half. There are many characters in the film, and the director, who is one movie old, shows humongous mettle in handling them with ease.
The script is watertight, the visuals are splendid, the execution is smart. Some common scenes are are given a different treatment and the cinema technique boosts the narration. After a long time, you can witness a technique driven storytelling.
The dialogues are razor-sharp and most of them popping up in the first half puts you in splits. However, the jaw-dropping interval block couldn’t peel off some good layers of suspense later on. As the slips into heavy dose action in the second half, it moves at a breakneck speed.
Merits:
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Intriguing first half.
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Background music.
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Fine visuals.
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Taut narration.
De-Merits:
Music:
Mani Sharma packs in lot of surprise in his background music. There’s no doubt why he is called master of BGMs. The songs add the necessary romantic flavor to the proceedings and Anagha Anagha is already on top of the charts. Pranam Paravana with its classical chimes tugs at your heartstrings.
Others:
Cinematographer Venkat Gangadhari is the man behind the visual splendor. He used multiple techniques that are innovative and never seen in Telugu cinema. The carousel effect and POV fight sequence speak volumes of his prowess as an ace cinematographer. Aakatayi rides on a strong sense of visual style and Venkat effectively handled the mood lighting to glorify and glossify scenes.
Art Director Murali Kondeti puts up some fine pieces in the form of hero’s room and the set design of special song by Ameesha Patel leaves you asking for more.
Verdict:
Aakatayi blends all the essential ingredients of a commercial potboiler. There’s comedy, action, thrills, chases, and many surprising elements to keep the audience on the edge of the seat. This makes it difficult to place the film under one particular genre. However, the international conspiracy needed some detailing to seep into the viewer’s minds. All in all, Aakatayi is worth your buck and offers a satiating cinematic experience.
Avg User Rating - 3.25/5
Review by: Soundarya.