12A Railway Colony, produced by Srinivasaa Chitturi, was released in theatres today. Let's find out its review.
Plot:
The story is set in Warangal, where an orphan named Karthik (Allari Naresh) is a foot soldier in the camp of aspiring MLA, Tillanna (Jeevan as a criminal-politician). He starts wooing his neighbour Aaradhana (Kamakshi), a basketball player who has bigger goals in life. When she needs lakhs of rupees to fulfil her dream, Karthik chips in with timely and instant help. In the attempt, he comes to know that the lives of Aaradhana and her widowed mother are not what they seem to be on the surface. Who are they? Do they have ulterior motives? How does Karthik handle the fallout? In what way can Inspector Rana Prathap (Sai Kumar) help him in chasing a mystery? That's what the second half is all about.
Post-Mortem:
In his very first scene, the male lead and his friends are found listening to a YouTube video on scientifically proven paranormal phenomena and who are vulnerable to attracting ghostly energies. What exactly this scene establishes is beyond the realm of this unemotional, soulless mystery thriller where some characters become more jovial after encountering tragedy. Perhaps, it's all paranormal that they feel like joking about the male lead's unenviable situation.
The first half essentially introduces three characters and a shallow love track that has more focus on the hero's dark traits (such as cat calling, eve-teasing, and recklessly playing with a wicket, only to end up almost damaging the heroine's left eye). Allari Naresh's Karthik is an orphan and therefore, everything is okay. He is a heavy boozer who doesn't flinch a bit when he has to commit a crime. Remember, he is an orphan and therefore, everything is okay.
We get to know nothing much about Aaradhana apart from her swift ability to smile at someone who almost made her semi-blind. She gets to participate in a song-and-dance routine, a kindness parade (about which we come to know through a flashback), and a mysterious date where she is half-informative despite being fully capable of being fully informative. Because why not?
Then there is Jeevan's Tillanna, who is desperate to win a by-poll after two consecutive electoral defeats. His ailing father and his murdered brother add nothing to his character's non-existent humanization. The fourth pillar arrives in the second half. For him, repeatedly saying that the "case is complicated" is half the job done as someone insanely committed to the 'nalugu simhalu'. The bit players are played by Viva Harsha and Getup Srinu; the former has this itch to reel off Instagram gyan about Gen Z love being inferior to that of his friend's 'Her figure is superb' love. Among the many things that are annoying about 12A Railway Station are one or two marriage proposal scenes that inadvertently teach you how not to propose.
The plot hits dizzying lows in the second half, with the investigation track scratching the surface. Sai Kumar was told his cop character would interrogate an MLA candidate just like that and he got excited. He thought to himself, "This is the most audacious thing I am going to do since Police Story." The actual investigation is done by, no prizes for guessing it, the hero, who is slightly jubilant that he is cracking the case involving the death of a dear one. This is easily the most emotionally challenged film to exist this year.
Bheems Ceciroleo's background score is derivative. The cinematography is average. The whole setting - the titular colony, in the main - is captured in a very basic manner.
Closing Remarks:
An emotionally barren and profoundly shallow mystery thriller that struggles to justify its characters' actions and its convoluted plot. With a love track built on toxic traits, a weak investigation, and a distinct lack of emotional depth, 12A Railway Colony is easily one of the most challenged films of the year.
