Movie: Andhra Pori
Rating: 2/5
Banner: Prasad Productions
Cast: Akash Puri, Ulka Gupta, Arvind Krishna, Sri Mukhi, Uttej and Others
Music: Dr J
Cinematography: Praveen Vanamali
Editor: Srikar Prasad
Producer: Ramesh Prasad
Written and Directed By: Raj Mudhi Raj
Release Date: June 5, 2015
The film based on teenage love story was a big hit in Marathi and it has been remade in Telugu by Prasad Productions. The film is the debut film of Puri Jagannadh’s son.
Given its success in Marathi, one is bound to have expectations, but when you actually watch the film, it turns out to be a half-baked love story. Usually, teenage love stories are meant to remind the adults of their teenage years and the teenagers of their present experiences.
But the film does not have the innocence or the cuteness of a teenage love story. Well, a love story cannot be very different, but what makes it different is the way the audiences can fall in love or sympathize with the lead characters. Though the film was a hit in Marathi, it does not make much of an impact in Telugu and one wonders if the director had copied it totally or made changes to suit the local nativity.
Also, the audiences cannot relate to whatever is happening to the lead pair and due to this Marathi Time-pass does not work for time pass here.
For starters, the boy or the hero does not like studies and he ends up becoming a rickshaw announcer for films, well, for time pass. So the story is of a poor boy and a middle-class girl and their teenage love story and their problems. However, it is not shown in an exciting way and that makes the watching pretty tedious since it has flat screenplay and slow narrative. In fact, it is a test of patience to even those who love their movies.
One fails to understand as to how a seasoned director like Puri Jagannadh accepted the story and how Prasad Productions which makes films rarely these days decided to make the film. Surprisingly, the film has no touching scene.
Akash Puri performs well despite it being his first film. His expressions in the climax scene are noteworthy. But it would be best if he stops acting in such films and waits to grow up before he gets into films full time. But Ulka Gupta does not appeal at all and fails to manage proper lip sync.
Eswara Rao acts well while Srikanth Iyengar does not evoke any laughs. Aravind, Uttej, Srimukhi play supporting characters. Dr J’s music is not interesting and he fails to give hit tracks that are very important for a hit film.
Cinematography is ok and Raj Mudiraj who was appreciated for his work in Rushi directs this film. But he fails to make an interesting story. More than commercial films, a director’s capability can be understood in love stories. Love apart, the film does not have enough drama to keep the audiences interested.
In teenage love stories, the makers try to cash in from the lead pair’s physical attraction. But the director does not go in for such cheap tricks. But one must appreciate the makers for making Andhra Pori a clean film.
Barring that, the film disappoints.
Bottomline: Boring love story
(Venkat can be reached [email protected] or https://twitter.com/greatandhranews)
