Starring: Sai Dharam Tej, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Krishna, Jagaathi Babu and Others
Director: Deva Katta
Producers: Bhagavan, Pulla Rao
Music Director: Mani Sharma
D.O.P: M Sukumar
Editor: K L Praveen

iQlikMovies Rating: 2.75/5

Sai Dharam Tej's Republic was struggling to hit the screens for a long time. After multiple delays due to COVID-19, this Deva Katta's directorial movie has been finally released today. Here is the review of it:

Story:
Abhiram (Sai Dharam Tej) is a man of moral ethics and values. He doesn't stand any wrongdoings in his surroundings. He always questions the problems in society. Abhiram's father (Jagapathi Babu) is a corrupt government servant. Fed up with all the issues pertaining to society, Abhiram decides to become an IAS officer. He soon becomes a collector and gets posted in his hometown. Then, he gets into a fight with corrupt politician Vishaka Vani(Ramya Krishna). How Abhiram dealt with her and set the things right forms the major crux of the movie.

Performances:
Sai Dharam Tej has given a sincere and honest performance in the movie. This is the first time we are seeing him in this kind of role. He must be appreciated for choosing a non-commercial character and we wish to see him take up many such roles in the coming days.

Ramya Krishna is another major asset for the film. She completely nailed it as a corrupt politician. Her screen presence and dialogue delivery will mesmerize the audience for sure. Aishwarya Rajesh got a limited role but she is good. Jagapathi Babu makes an impact in a key role. Srikanth Iyengar is good. Rest others have performed within their limitations.

Technical Aspects:
After Prasthanam, director Deva Katta chose another political story for this film. He has done a lot of research and his hard work can be seen in his writing as well as scene presentations. However, he should have made the film more engaging because it becomes preachy at a point.

Music by Mani Sharma is average. The background score is decent. The cinematography by M Sukumar stands out. The visuals look great on the big screen. The production values and the artwork are equally good. But the editing could have been better.

Review:
Rarely do we see political dramas in Telugu cinema. Deva Katta is one such director who has a command over politics and political history. He proved it with Prasthanam. After a few disappointing outings, he is now back in his strong zone. His idea behind making Republic is honest. He also wrote the story well. But it is the screenplay that lacks the punch.

The main plot starts halfway through the film and the scenes before the lead actor becomes a collector feel unnecessary. The director could have jumped into the conflict a bit early. On the whole, it appeals to the people who like serious dramas. Leaving aside the slow first half, the film can be watched once for sure.

Plus Points:
Story
Dialogues
Sai Dharam Tej's performance

Minus Points:
Slow first half
Limited appeal
Not so strong climax

Final Verdict: Decent Political Drama