There are not many films in Tollywood which build muscle in storyline but "Venkatadri Express" is a novel attempt in that direction. Directed by a debutant Merlapati Gandhi, the film had created some buzz in trade circles because Gandhi has some award-winning short films to his credit. "Venkatadri Express" is the name of the train that leaves Hyderabad for Tirupati. Gandhi who is the all-in-one for story-screenplay-dialogues-director has selected that train as the backdrop and the entire story is weaved into one incredible train journey of a family who alight from Hyderabad for a journey that is supposed to be a joy ride and a happy one.
It becomes a happy one for all the family members - a father Nagineedu, his wife, sons and their families including the bridegroom Brahmaji who is about to tie the knot. Except for one of the sons Sandeep (Sandeep Kishan) who misses the train because of an errand run by his mother (to get the "thaali bottu") and some silly diversions at the station. These diversions, these "Rudraveena" type distractions are what enrages Sandeep's Father time and again. Sandeep's father, Nagineedu, is one of those modern-day curiosities who keeps a statistical count of such "mistakes" committed by everyone in the family - from toddlers to wife to sons and their spouses. Before embarking on the marriage party on Venkatadri Express, Sandeep is at 99 not out in terms of number of mistakes, so all he has to do to be kicked out of his house is one more. Be that as it may, and back to the story, Sandeep misses the train but somehow makes it in time to catch the train just before Tirupati in one of the incredible chases with some remote help (and pose as if he is sleep-walking from another compartment where he his berth lies). What really happened in the time since he missed the train? Why were there blood stains on his shirt? Who is the guy in the family compartment who is joined at the hip with Sandeep? How did he make it back just in time? Will Brahmaji's marriage happen?
These are the questions that must egg you on to watch this reasonably engrossing movie made with a bevy of characters of low-key fame but thoroughly entertertaining except in the second half when it becomes predictable. Merlapati Gandhi has roped in a good starcast that pull off fireworks all except one - Nagineedu who gave the most unconvincing characterisation yet seen in his career as a father who is stuck on old-world discipline in new blood - he appears a cross between a "Bommarillu" Prakash Raj and an ancient Gummadi and has been quite a bore. Even in the end, his characterisation lacks the consistency check and closure in climax. Sandeep Kishan pulls his role with ease and style, he is lucky to have got a script that could have pulled in more eyeballs with a bigger star. A new girl Ratul Priti looks cute and over-exposed at the same time. Brahmaji gets an important role after a long time that registers good votes at places. The real draw of the film is the under-appreciated comedy tracks that are enmeshed with the main storyline of a moving train, mainly highlighted by Sudhir ("Oye" fame) and Taagubotu Ramesh. Sudhir will get accolades for a role of a lifetime while Ramesh gets the giggles with his trademark acting. A few others, kid and MS Narayana too get the occasional laughs. Undoubtedly, getting a script like this to deliver so much on entertainment and comedy is a coup because the storyline walks on a razor edge between a running story and the heart of the flashback of how the hero and the heroine get into an incredible chase.
Music by Ramana Gogula is good not great. His BGM seems to enthrall more than his songs. As a music director, he had given some good hits in his checkered career but in this film, coming after a gap, one can feel something amiss in his disctinct style. Chota K Naidu, the cinematographer has given a fantastic feel to the whole experience of a moving train and the images that move the narrative. A few songs have been shot with great passion and creativity which leave haunting imagery in primary colors. Without Naidu's support for a film which has untested director, the film might have slipped into shoddiness. Duration wise, I still felt that its a miracle to pack so much into one film in 127 minutes and yet achieve a poetic end in climax (I am not giving away much nowadays you see). While the director tied most of the scenes with logic, he slipped on the side of taking short-cuts to exalt comedy. There are scenes where a ticket collector loses his marbles in throwing out freeboarders; instead of throwing them out, he discusses Telugu literature. There are only two chains in a compartment to stop a train for the hero to hop into it but both are used creatively - preventing its real use; one is used to cradle a baby and the other like a gym rope. Also, the film despite an original story and treatment resembles loosely many plots of films like "Jab We Met", "Bommarillu", "Ala Modalaindi" in terms of twists and hairpin bending twists. But it is definitely worth a watch, whatever be the shortcomings. It gives clean, family-clean entertainment and some uproarious laughter and delivers on most counts for a debutant director. My rating: 3.5./5.
