Varudu - Movie Review

Film: Varudu

Cast: Allu Arjun, Arya, Bhanu Sri Mehra, Suhasini, Ashish Vidyarthi, Singeetam Srinivas Rao, Naresh, Nasser, Rao Ramesh, Sayaji Shinde, Ahuti Prasad, Brahmanandam, Sunil and others

Dialogues: Thota Prasad

Lyrics: Veturi
Music: Mani Sharma
Cinematography: R D Rajasekhar
Editing: Anthony
Fights: Stun Siva
Produced by: Danaiah D V V
Story, screenplay, direction: Gunasekhar
Release date: March 31, 2010

CBFC Rating: U/A


What’s it about!

Sandeep aka Sandy (Allu Arjun) is gen-next youngster who parties hard and has modern outlook but his ideas towards marriage are traditional. As he got job in USA, his working parents (Suhasini and Ashish Vidyaradhi), both got married against the wishes of their parents, ask him to get married. He accepts and tells them that he would rather want to marry a girl that is selected by them in traditional style and wants his marriage ceremony to be conducted in as 5-day event. He also refuses to see his bride before the marriage. Everything is arranged according to wishes, and his marriage is fixed with Deepti (Bhanu Sri Mehra). On the time of marriage, the bride is kidnapped by a local rowdy Diwakar (Deepti). How hero brings his bride back from the clutches of this goon forms the rest of the story.


Analysis

Basic story line of Varudu is just another interpretation of Ramayana. To this plot line, director Gunashekar adds the idea of by-gone ceremonies of 5-day marriage and his style of ‘Okkadu’ heroism. In Ramayana, Ravana kidnaps Seeta when they lead life of Vanavasam. Here in villain kidnaps the heroine, just before her marriage with the hero. Or to put in other way, in Okkadu, hero saves heroine from villain and puts her in Charminar. In Varudu, villain abducts the heroine and puts in his home. Similarities and inspirations apart, basic conflict in the film’s script is solid but the director has failed to tell it engrossingly. He takes plenty of time (almost one hour) to come to the point and after the story is established, he again loses the grip.


First hour of the film is quite boring. In the entire first half, only ‘Bahusha Chenchala’ song is captivating. Soon after the interval the movie comes on the track but again goes off from it. Towards the climax it bounces back, but by that time, one gets the feeling of boredom.

Allu Arjun’s high-energy, Arya’s scintillating performance and some action episodes are the saving grace. The lip-to-lip kiss scene is also shot nicely, though.

Performances

It is a one-man show for Allu Arjun as he is there in every frame and shouldering the entire movie. He does his best to salvage the proceedings. He excels in action sequences and in songs. He really looks too good in ‘Varudu’ getup. Tamil actor Arya steals the thunder as the bad guy and brings life to the movie with his antics post interval. Even though Ravi Shankar dubs his voice and the way Arya mouths the dialogues in various ‘getups’ is awesome. His character is designed in the style of Heath Ledgers’ The Dark Knight. Newcomer Bhanu Mehra as bride lacks glamour.

Nasser, Rao Ramesh, Suhasini and director Singeetam in their respective characters have done justice. Chiranjeevi’s beginning voice-over hardly has any impact.

Technically, art-work (Ashok) and cinematography (RD Rajashekar) are the ones that stand out. The visual effects done for marriage mandapam are impressive. Music by Manisharma is good especially “Idu rojula pelli ..” and “Bahusha Chenchala..” are mellifluous. The way the song “Bahusha Chenchala..” shot is quite impressive. It is done with great aesthetic sense. Costumes created for the song are equally superb.

Dialogues by Thota Prasad are okay. Director Gunashekar shows his craftsmanship in creating good visuals but his screenplay is mediocre. The way he has narrated the film in the first half shows his lack of grip on the story. He has created and designed scenes from various successful movies but his narration has not interesting. Production values are good.

Bottom-line!

Varudu ’s storyline has potential to become good action entertainer but the director’s unimpressive screenplay spoiled it. Allu Arjun has tried hard to shoulder the entire movie and in the second half Arya takes the onus but on the whole, the film lacks punch. Director Gunashekar's screenplay is the main flaw. It is just reversal of 'Okkadu' sans ‘entertainment’.