Movie: Brahmotsavam
Rating: 2/5
Banner: PVP Cinema
Cast: Mahesh Babu, Samantha, Kajal, Pranitha, Sathyaraj, Revathy, Jayasudha, Naresh, Tulasi, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde, Rao Ramesh, Subhalekha Sudhakar, Krishna Bhagawan, Vennela Kishore and others
Dialogues: Parachuri Brothers
Music: Mickey J Meyer
Cinematography: Rathnavelu
Editor: Kotagiri Venkatehswara Rao
Production Design: Thota Tharani
Producer: Param V Potluri, Pearl V Potluri, Kavin Anne
Story, Screenplay and direction: Srikanth Addala
Release Date: 20 May 2016
One of the biggest movies of this year, “Brahmotsavam” has been creating buzz for a long time and everyone is waiting for its release.
The combination of Mahesh Babu and director Srikanth Addala, who delivered blockbuster “Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu”, was the prime reason for the great expectations it generated.
Mahesh Babu, the top star of Tollywood, is also in great form. Hence “Brahmotsavam” has become most-talked about the movie this year. Will the team deliver what everyone is looking forward to? Let’s find out...
Story:
Mahesh Babu is son of an industrialist in Vijaywada. He has no name in the film. His father Sathya Raj loves to lead life celebrating festivals with his relatives and family members together. When his brother-in- law Rao Ramesh who is hoping that Mahesh marries his daughter Pranitha sees that Mahesh kissing Kajal Agarwal, hell breaks loose. He walks out of the family and leaving Mahesh Babu’s father devastated. The tragedy in his family makes Mahesh Babu to find the extended family that is living all over India.
Artistes’ Performances:
Mahesh Babu has proven himself that he excels in classy dramas where emotions matter more. After “Athadu” and “Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirmalle Chettu”, he has come up with another sincere performance. Frankly speaking more than performance, he has looked handsome that is impressive. The movie doesn’t have scope for him to bring out best performance. He has looked all more handsome and has carried the film on shoulders till the end even as the movie proceeds in dull manner.
Sathya Raj is suited in the role of Mahesh Babu’s rich father. Rao Ramesh is in terrific form. It looks like Srikanth Addala writes movies only for him.
Kajal Aggarwal has shared terrific chemistry with Mahesh Babu and she has got more screen presence among the three heroines.
Samantha’s role and her acting is silly, when she speaks in slang she sounds awkward. Pranitha has nothing much to do in the film. Senior actresses Revathy and Jayasudha don’t disappoint us. Comedy by Vennela Kishore has worked well.
Technical Excellence:
Richness is noticed in every frame in the film – beautiful photography, stunning sets, presence of veteran and known actors. Rathnavelu has filmed the movie dipping with beautiful colors. His photography has elevated the movie to the next level. Music is good but they irritate as they come frequently.
Songs like “Bala Tripuramani” and “Nayudigarinitikaada” are a treat to watch on the screen. Picturisation of the songs is like celebration of a wedding loaded abundance of decoration.
Sets created by Thota Tharani are splendid. PVP Cinema’s production values are rich. The editing is utterly bad. Main villain of the movie is editing work and dialogue writing. There is not much action in the film.
Highlights:
- Mahesh Babu’s handsomeness
- Interval scene
- Rich Photography and production values
- Climax episode
Drawback:
- Boring Screenplay
- Dull episodes
- Too many songs
- Plenty of actors with little characterisation
- Some sequences seem like a TV serial
- Dialogues are hard to understand
Analysis:
“Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu” had elevated director Srikanth Addala to another league. Despite the movie having no major story, the way he has handled the scenes, brought out the bonding between two brothers struck a chord with everyone.
His next film “Mukunda” was highly criticized by many. Despite this, when he teamed up with Mahesh Babu for “Brahmotsavam” expectations shot high and the title and teasers hiked them up as they promised a colorful family entertainer. But one feels cheated by the teasers as the movie proceeds on.
Can you sit through a movie in which first one hour is devoted to songs, wedding events, festival celebrations, picnics, silly banter between family members and nothing else? Yeah, the first hour of “Brahmotsavam” treads on like Sathya Raj and his son playing with a group of 50 to 60 family members and singing songs. When the family is not shown, we get to see some silly verbal romance between Mahesh Babu and Kajal Aggarwal.
Like in old Krishna Vamsi's movies “Murari” or “Ninne Pelladutha”, all the ladies either do pooja or make pickles, and every room in the large house is decorated with flowers, banana leaves, and dozens of kids and workers moving all the while. The dialogues in thick Godavari slang sometimes amuse us and the philosophical conversation between Mahesh Babu and Sathya Raj is hard to understand.
While the first half is filled with family drama with song and dances, the second half is more like a Travel documentary for a TV channel with Mahesh Babu and Samantha heading to Nagpur to Haridwar to Jaipur to Sholapur and all over the India to find out the roots of seven generations of his family. Along the way Samantha and Mahesh Babu talk in plain silly way and look at each other admiringly but refrain from doing anything.
The proceedings are as tedious as some of our never-ending TV serials like “Mogali Rekulu” or “Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki”. Director Srikanth Addala has stressed the focus on Mahesh Babu and his relationship with his father in the first half and then immediately shifts focus to roots of his family. It is like watching two different movies on a single ticket. But that is fine if it is told interestingly.
Although the movie has couple worth family sentiment scenes like the interval tragedy and the climax duel between Rao Ramesh and Mahesh Babu, the actual drama is very little in the film, flimsy storyline is the main drawback.
While the hero goes all over India to search for his roots, he doesn’t care to bring his sister who lives abroad to his home. Even when the tragedy happens at home, she doesn’t come? Strange! Also, in entire first half, the director shows that Mahesh Babu’s house is filled with atleast 50 members and servants but when the tragedy strikes, he shows there is no one in the house to approach except his mother.
Although the film has stunning production values and great cinematography, director Srikanth Addala has put all his eccentric ideas here. He directed the film based on his whims and fancies, little caring about a cohesive story or screenplay.
All in all, “Brahmotsavam” tests the patience with its idiotic scenes, directionless screenplay, and snail-paced romantic thread. If not for Mahesh Babu’s presence, the film collapses completely.
Bottom-line: Directionless Drama
(Venkat can be reached [email protected] or Twitter)
