The problem with genres in Telugu cinema is that there exists a template for every genre. The same is true for the so-called ‘Fantasy’ or ‘Socio-fantasy’ genre too. The premise for these movies is established in the beginning and the audience are all waiting for the good to prevail over the evil.
Dhamarukam, a movie that has faced problems from the time the makers announced a release date. After postponements and public humour, the movie’s prints did turn up at the theatres today. The ticket counter people themselves were perplexed at the multiple postponements. In fact, yesterday when I asked them as to why the internet booking wasn’t opened for the movie, they replied saying they weren’t sure if the prints would come.
Once you get to see the movie, you would be surprised that the amount purported to have spent on the movie was actually spent. The CG work on the movie is nothing to write home about. What makes you sit through the movie is dashing Nagarjuna.
The director, Srinivas Redde (yes, that’s the name), has handled the comedy scenes with panache but it is towards the end of the movie that he fumbles. He can’t be alleged with not paying attention to detail. The child who played Nagarjuna’s character in childhood has a tattoo on his right shoulder that Nagarjuna sports in real life.
As mentioned earlier, the voice of Ravi Shankar and the presence of Anushka create a feeling of déjà vu for the movie.
Nagarjuna, as has become the norm looks extremely handsome and doesn’t look like a 50+ man. Credit to him that in the song ‘Nesthamma’, which is similar in picturisation to Gundello Emundho in Manmadhudu, he doesn’t look like he has aged a day from that movie. What is undesirable in the performance is constant reference to mass. We aren’t used to listening it from Nagarjuna. One wonders what it was in the script that Nagarjuna got attracted to and nodded his approval
Anushka, sleep walks through the role and it is evident in many scenes. The scene where she drags the chariot, she is required to be radiant at the very least but she looks sleepy and dreary eyed. It can be said in the character’s defense that she was coming after having performed an operation, but the character she plays and the body language has no relation whatsoever
Ravi Shankar, plays the principal antagonist and shines in the role. He is the person in the movie mouthing lengthy and twisted dialogues. At no point does one feel that his performance graph is dipping. Based on this performance alone, we can expect to see him in more roles in the days to come
Prakash Raj, does what he normally does- deliver a solid performance
Rest of the cast performed well in the short duration that they appear for in the movie
All in all, a movie that needs all the star power of Nagarjuna to steer it to safety. Considering the fact that the movie went over budget, it remains to be seen if people take to the movie. I feel it might garner the initials but wouldn’t be categorised under blockbuster category in the long run
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