This Article is From Oct 08, 2010

Review: Khaleja lacks Trivikram's magic

Highlights

  • After giving a blockbuster like Pokiri, Maheshbabu’s films failed to reach the same mark for the past some time.
  • Previously, his film Sainikudu was a big flop, along with Atithi that also failed to make a mark. Then Maheshbabu went into oblivion and was off the screen for almost one and a half year. Then, he joined hands with Trivikram Srinivas, who gave him a hit like Athadu.
  • The shooting of this particular film dragged beyond the schedule and meanwhile, faced several controversies. Even the title row continued till the day before the release. Let us see how Mahesh Khaleja is on the screen.
New Delhi: After giving a blockbuster like Pokiri, Maheshbabu's films failed to reach the same mark for the past some time.

Previously, his film Sainikudu was a big flop, along with Atithi that also failed to make a mark. Then Maheshbabu went into oblivion and was off the screen for almost one and a half year. Then, he joined hands with Trivikram Srinivas, who gave him a hit like Athadu.

The shooting of this particular film dragged beyond the schedule and meanwhile, faced several controversies. Even the title row continued till the day before the release. Let us see how Mahesh Khaleja is on the screen.

GK (Prakashraj) is a millionaire. Once a geologist Paranje tells him that there is an iridium mine in Pali, a village in Andhra Pradesh. Iridium generally used in making of aeroplanes and satellites and it is costlier than gold and platinum. However, the mine is situated in a village and GK doesn't want to purchase the land by paying money. Instead he starts a factory making plastic and the release its effluents in the water sources of the village. Consumption of water from the water source would result in deaths and GK predicts that the villagers would evict on their own and go to some other place. However, the villagers did not vacate the village and they believe that some saviour would come to their rescue.

Raju (Maheshbabu) is a taxi driver. His taxi owner (Dharmavarapu) sends him to Girdalpur in Rajasthan to deliver an insurance cheque there and collect Rs 1 lakh toward the damage of the cab by their relative. Subhashini, fondly called, Subbu (Anushka) is the daughter of DP (Tanikella Bharani), who had a few encounters with Raju. Raju goes to Girdalpur and the villagers find the saviour in him. Incidentally, Subbu who gives a slip to GK's son meets Raju.

Both Raju and Subbu gives the villagers a slip and returns to Hyderabad. However, Siddhu (Shafi) who found the god in Raju follows him. Unable to know why the villagers are treating him as god, he wanted to return to Rajasthan to do some good to the villagers. Before that, he investigates the reason as to why the water is getting contaminated and what was the exact reason behind the slow deaths of villagers. Then he finds a girl (Veda) and comes to know the real reason. By that time, GK also goes to Pali and tries to kill all the people there. But, Raju reaches the village in time and eliminates GK and his men and fulfil the aspirations of the villagers that he is really their saviour.

One of the biggest highlights of the movie is Maheshbabu's performance. In almost every frame, Maheshbabu could be seen on the screen. His changed style of dialogue delivery and maintenance of good comedy timing is also worth watching. All the action scenes were quite stylishly choreographed and a few songs were also perfectly picturised.

Anushka's glamour is another plus point of the film. Performance of Shafi is worth watching and he excelled on the screen with fantastic histrionics. Most part of the film was shot in desert area in Rajasthan. Trivikram penned impressive dialogues in colloquial language and most of them were very casual and appear as if some one is talking with wit. Camera by Yash Bhat is good and he captured the action scenes and the beautiful locales of Rajasthan desert well. Music by Manisharma is good to listen and the picturisation of songs are good in parts.

A big negative of the film is the lack of tight editing by Srikara Prasad, especially the kidnapping that could have been trimmed to a great extent. The length of the film is a little too long. Given that the storyline is very delicate, the director failed to proper narration. The first half of the film is filled with comedy and the romantic encounters between the hero and heroine and the movement of the film is just so-so.

The second half starts in a slow motion and for almost 45 minutes tests the patience of audiences. The director failed to give the magical touch in his directorial capability. The screenplay is quite abrupt and normal audiences could not grasp what the director wanted to narrate on the screen. However, the film picks up momentum with some action scenes to some extent and the film ends with the death of the antagonist.

However, the director failed to explain how the hero became a saviour of the village as he did nothing specially for them but for the elimination of the antagonist.

Overall, the director lost his grip on the story and the staggered screenplay proved it. Despite some good action scenes and witty dialogues, the film is nothing much to offer. The film failed to repeat the magic of <i>Athadu</i> though there were lots of expectations on the combo. The film began with a divided talk and the film failed to reach the expectations of the audiences. Though the film would appease the fans and the mass audiences because of Maheshbabu's stylish performance, it may not give a decent run in cities. One has to simply wait and watch how the audiences will receive the film.

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