"Adhinayakudu" is a 3G wireless gift for Balayya (Balakrishna) fans - it shows Balayya in son, father and grand-father roles. Parachuri Murali is the writer-director ( I don't know which other movies he directed with a famous surname like that). The story is set in Rayalaseema backdrop but comes with a different treatment that his fans are usually used to. Harish Chandra Prasad is the patriarch who rules the hearts of the masses in many villages by getting FDI approvals for an iron-ore project in Kurnool. He convinces many and moves against many odds to get the project approved so that more people turn to employment instead of taking up sickles and bombshells. His son Rajendra Prasad takes on the responsibility of carrying out intent of the father. But the villains who don't like the good samaritans divide the father and son and what more, connive to brainwash the grandson in his infancy to kill the grandfather. This is the story that is unravelled in the end - but the story begins differently - the juvenile who grows up in Mumbai follows his roots to Rayalaseema and then the familiar climax - after lots of twists, flashback, romance, comedy and fights.
To be fair, Parachuri Murali weaves an intelligent plot with three diverse roles for Balayya and infuses life into the scripting and screenplay. The movie moves with a verve and freshness not usually associated with a Balakrishna movie. Dialogues are classy not crass, music is just about okay even though Kalyani Mallik - the less-talented music director of MM Keeravani tries hard especially in one or two numbers and OST. Lakshmi Rai sizzles with her thread-bare revelations in two songs and carries on her glamor well. The main villains led by Kota Sreenivasa Rao and Ajay do a good job. Brahmanandam comes up with a fine performance - and his comedy with the young Balakrishna masquerading as an alien from Mars is hilarious and fresh fun. Violence is also grossly toned down and so are the dialogues - they are not at all political and censorable, I am surprised they are written by somebody other than Parachuri brothers but bearing the same surname.
There are few observations on the film. In his anxiety to project all three characters in equal length, director adopts a racy track to collapse many frames and moods in quick succession - at times, it comes out good but sometimes the intensity is diluted. There is a danger, just like VV Vinayak's screenplay in "Chenna KeshavaReddy" that the characterisation goes adrift because of the need to show a screen friction between father and son, and later between son and grandson. Sometimes, you do get confused in having to take sides with the three characterisations - they never syncronise in one moment except for a fleeting phase during flashback. 15 Reels is also a bit long for a movie nowadays despite efforts to edit most scenes. Director has a talent and grip over making intelligent and sensibile cinema and for that he deserves a pat - you can watch it once for the treatment and the thrills and the diversity of roles played by an ageing hero. Even though I am not a great fan of Balakrishna, this movie shows him in better light than his movies in the past. I wonder why "Adhinayakudu" was delayed for 4 months without a buyer - it is passable fare and watchable for most of the time. I only wonder whether the fans, who seem to be calling most of the shots in Tollywood, will take an under-tone, under-stated Balayya. This is a better performance for NBK than "Srirama Rajyam".
To be fair, Parachuri Murali weaves an intelligent plot with three diverse roles for Balayya and infuses life into the scripting and screenplay. The movie moves with a verve and freshness not usually associated with a Balakrishna movie. Dialogues are classy not crass, music is just about okay even though Kalyani Mallik - the less-talented music director of MM Keeravani tries hard especially in one or two numbers and OST. Lakshmi Rai sizzles with her thread-bare revelations in two songs and carries on her glamor well. The main villains led by Kota Sreenivasa Rao and Ajay do a good job. Brahmanandam comes up with a fine performance - and his comedy with the young Balakrishna masquerading as an alien from Mars is hilarious and fresh fun. Violence is also grossly toned down and so are the dialogues - they are not at all political and censorable, I am surprised they are written by somebody other than Parachuri brothers but bearing the same surname.
There are few observations on the film. In his anxiety to project all three characters in equal length, director adopts a racy track to collapse many frames and moods in quick succession - at times, it comes out good but sometimes the intensity is diluted. There is a danger, just like VV Vinayak's screenplay in "Chenna KeshavaReddy" that the characterisation goes adrift because of the need to show a screen friction between father and son, and later between son and grandson. Sometimes, you do get confused in having to take sides with the three characterisations - they never syncronise in one moment except for a fleeting phase during flashback. 15 Reels is also a bit long for a movie nowadays despite efforts to edit most scenes. Director has a talent and grip over making intelligent and sensibile cinema and for that he deserves a pat - you can watch it once for the treatment and the thrills and the diversity of roles played by an ageing hero. Even though I am not a great fan of Balakrishna, this movie shows him in better light than his movies in the past. I wonder why "Adhinayakudu" was delayed for 4 months without a buyer - it is passable fare and watchable for most of the time. I only wonder whether the fans, who seem to be calling most of the shots in Tollywood, will take an under-tone, under-stated Balayya. This is a better performance for NBK than "Srirama Rajyam".
