Movie: Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Ashoka Creations, NTR Arts
Cast: Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Vijayashanthi, Saiee Manjrekar, Sohel Khan, Srikanth, Rahman, Babloo Prudhvi,and others
Screenplay: Srikanth Vissa
Music: Ajaneesh Loknath
DOP: Ram Prasad
Editor: Thammiraju
Art director: Brahma Kadali
Action: Peter Hein, Ramakrishna, Ravi Varma
Presents: Muppa Venkaiah Chowdary
Producers: Ashok Vardhan Muppa, Sunil Balusu
Written and Directed by: Pradeep Chilkuri
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Veteran actress Vijayashanthi teams up with Nandamuri Kalyan Ram in a mother-son pairing that has generated significant buzz. This marks her return to the big screen since her appearance in Mahesh Babu’s Sarileru Neekevvaru. The trailer, filled with high-octane action and emotional mother-son moments, has further heightened anticipation.
Let’s take a closer look at its strengths and weaknesses.
Story:
Arjun (Kalyan Ram), once an IPS trainee, abandons his aspirations and becomes a feared gangster, wielding such influence that he runs a parallel government in Vizag.
His mother, Vyjayanthi IPS (Vijayashanthi), a principled former officer, severs all ties with him after his descent into crime.
While she lives in a retired officers’ colony, Arjun and his wife Chitra (Saiee Manjrekar) reside in a separate colony — one he has vowed to protect at all costs.
The estranged mother and son come face-to-face only in court, as opposing parties in a legal case. Months later, Arjun learns that his mother is under threat from an imprisoned criminal, Pathan (Sohel Khan).
Why is Pathan targeting Vyjayanthi? What drove Arjun to abandon his IPS training and choose a life of crime? Will Vyjayanthi ever reconcile with her son? And who is the traitor that changed their lives forever?
Artistes’ Performances:
Kalyan Ram delivers a solid performance, bringing intensity to his mass-appeal role. His emotional scenes with Vijayashanthi add depth to the narrative, lending weight to what is otherwise a typical commercial potboiler.
Vijayashanthi shines in her dual portrayal of a strong police officer and a conflicted mother, her dignified presence and emotional gravitas enriching the drama. The mother-son confrontations stand out as the film’s highlight.
Saiee Manjrekar’s role is underdeveloped, with only brief appearances in a couple of scenes and a song.
Srikanth plays a pivotal role, while Babloo Prithviraj impresses as a police officer. Sohel Khan, as the antagonist, delivers a decent performance.
Technical Excellence:
Cinematographer Ram Prasad brings his signature visual richness to the action sequences, enhancing their appeal.
However, Ajaneesh Loknath’s music lacks impact. The songs are below average and do little to elevate the narrative, while the background score is good.
The film is packed with action, but most sequences follow a predictable pattern.
While the first half maintains a brisk pace, the second half loses momentum. Tighter editing could have improved the overall flow.
Highlights:
Last 20 minutes
Vijayashanthi - Kalyan Ram’s scenes
Drawback:
Template style of narration
Excessive action and continuous fights
Poor Songs
Analysis
"Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi" revolves around its two central characters, Kalyan Ram and Vijayashanthi, and is largely driven by the emotional weight of the mother-son relationship.
Director Pradeep builds the narrative around this core sentiment, exploring the conflict that arises when a principled mother — herself a former police officer — finds herself at odds with her son, who has chosen a path of lawlessness.
However, the execution leans heavily on a familiar, formulaic template often seen in mainstream action dramas.
The film mostly follows a predictable trajectory, with the director reserving the “best episodes” for the climax. Until then, it relies on a routine mix of action and sentiment, offering little in terms of freshness or surprise.
The two standout aspects of the film are Vijayashanthi’s return in a powerful police officer role, this time layered with maternal emotion, and the final twenty minutes, which deliver emotional heft and a few unexpected twists, resulting in a compelling finish. Unfortunately, much of what comes before feels conventional and uninspired.
The first half is completely packed with series of fights and elevations of main characters. The content in the first half is very thin. Interval bang is also not powerful. Post-interval, however, the film loses steam. The extended flashback explaining why Kalyan Ram’s character became a gangster feels stretched and repetitive, making the mid-section tedious. The last 20 minutes of the climax are gripping with a twist and action-sentiment part.
The romantic track between Kalyan Ram and Saiee Manjrekar is underwritten and sidelined. Saiee’s presence seems to exist merely to fulfill the trope that a film must have a heroine. Given the narrative’s focus on action and mother-son drama, their relationship lacks development and emotional depth.
Overall, Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi follows a tried-and-tested action drama formula infused with sentiment. While Vijayashanthi’s presence and a gripping climax elevate the film to some extent, its lack of novelty, weak romantic subplot, and sluggish second half make it an uneven viewing experience — a familiar ride with a few bright moments.
Bottom-line: Action Dominates Sentiment
