'Rangabali', produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri, hit the cinemas today (July 7). In this section, we are going to review the latest box-office release.
Plot:
Shaurya aka Show (Naga Shaurya) hails from Rajavaram. His pharmacist-father (Goparaju Ramana) runs a medical shot at the Rangabali Centre. The place is where a do-gooder and philanthropist named Ranga Reddy was killed decades ago. In the present, when Show falls in love with Sahaja (Yukti Thareja), the political assassination from the past comes back to haunt his love story in unexpected ways.
Performances:
In Naga Shaurya's previous film, 'Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi', he portrayed a restrained character. However, in the movie being reviewed, he showcases a semi-aggressive avatar. He satisfies as an actor.
The debutante Yukti Thareja appears slender and attractive, but she still needs to improve her acting skills. She looks great in the sensuous song in the second half.
Comedian Satya, who played a significant role in promoting 'Rangabali' through a parodic interview, has previously delivered lackluster performances in films such as 'Agent' and 'Custody' this year. However, in this film, he nearly saves the entire first half with his comedy.
Shine Tom Chacko (as MLA Parasuram), who played the villain in 'Dasara', is boring. Anantha Sriram as his sidekick is annoying. Goparaju Ramana is routine. Saptagiri, Murali Sharma, Rajkumar Kasireddy, Noel Sean, Subhalekha Sudhakar (in a cameo), and Kalyani Natarajan (as the hero's mother) are also seen. They don't get to do much.
Technical aspects:
The stunts by Pruthvi Master, Real Satish, and Wing Chun Anji are subpar in terms of intensity. If imagination had been invested in depicting Rangabali Centre, production designer AS Prakash could have infused it with a unique atmosphere. As for the work of Editor Karthika Srinivas, he didn't have much scope to exhibit inventiveness.
Music director Pawan CH of 'Love Story' fame delivers weak work. 'Mana Oorilo Evadra Apedhi' and 'Kala Kantu Unte' pass muster. Cinematographer Diwakar Mani of 'Keshava' and 'Ninnila Ninnila' fame allows a few action scenes to seem bigger than they are.
Analysis:
Writer-director Pawan Basamsetty pulls off the lighter portions in the first half with a fair degree of command. Satya's comedy (he takes sadistic pleasure in the problems of others) delivers laughs only because of the actor's talent. The college campus scenes rely excessively on Naga Shaurya's ability to look charming. The poor writing is what remains a problem.
The absence of a proper antagonist with a believable characterization becomes a glaring flaw in the second half. MLA Parasuram's confrontation with the protagonist looks silly.
To rev up the emotional beats of the film, the director then introduces the backstory of Ranga Reddy. A routine build-up and a purely far-fetched resolution make the story look like a semi-joke. Saptagiri's character is introduced to satirize the media. The comedy is a shadow of the previous satires we have seen in the media.
Closing Remarks:
'Rangabali' has a weak story made worse by implausible situations and forced message-giving. Satya's comedy is its only plus.
