Movie: Bluff Master
Rating: 2.25/5
Banner: Abhishek Films
Cast: Satya Dev, Nandita Swetha, Sijju, Prudhvi, Temper Vamsi and others
Music: Sunil Kashyap
Cinematography: Dasaradhi Sivendra
Editor: Navin Nooli
Producer: Ramesh Pillai
Dialogues and directed by: Gopi Ganesh Pattabhi
Release date: Dec 28, 2018
2018 is going to end with two new releases. The last film to hit the screens this year is Satya Dev starrer 'Bluff Master'.
Let's find out is merits and demerits
Story:
Uttam Kumar (Satya Dev) is a con man who believes that as long people are greedy they can be duped.
He dupes several people but what he doesn't expect that there are forces that would use his tricks to involve him in a mess.
He marries a girl (Nandita Swetha) and decides to live simple life with her leaving the bluff master's job. But he is forced to pull off a last trick by a gunda (Aditya Menon).
Artistes’ Performances:
Satya Dev is very sincere in his effort. However, he doesn't suit for this role at all. Swetha Nandita irritates with her over action. Prudhvi is okay.
Sijju as police officer and Temper Vamsi are neat. Aditya Menon's character lacks depth.
Technical Excellence:
The film has decent production values. Cinematography is neat. Dialogues are its main asset. Some punch lines have worked out well.
Highlights:
Some bits
Dialogues
Drawback:
Boring second half
Too easy con acts
Lethargic narration
Predictablity
Analysis
"Bluff Master" is remake of 2014 hit Tamil movie "Sathuranga Vettai". The original movie was structured into episodes, which provided some uniqueness to the regular story of a conman.
Telugu director Gopi has removed this aspect and narrated it in plain way and this is change he has done has worked against to the movie. Other than this, he has been faithful to the Tamil con thriller but he has failed to narrate it in gripping way.
A movie about conman works only when the tricks are interesting or the bluffs that he pulls off are enjoyable. But like the screenplay of "Bluff Master", the con acts are also utterly predictable. There are no major turns and twists.
The screenplay runs on expected lines and along the way tests the patience. Few minutes into the second half, one gets the deja vu feel and wishes it to be ended quickly.
The so-called sentiment scene between heroine and a villain character is full of melodrama that reminds 80's movies and moreover Nandita goes overboard in her expressions making the watching experience even more unbearable.
Even the character graph of lead actor is uneven. He is presented as remorseless guy in the beginning but he changes his heart suddenly and confidently. The romantic track between hero and heroine doesn't convince at all. Why she falls for him?
This Bluff Master pulls off tricks like selling snakes as lucky mascots, duping people with multiple-marketing tricks. And his biggest masterstroke is 'rice-pulling', all these con acts were seen in many of our movies.
What are so special about his bluffs? The cons are too easy; the guys who got duped act more like dumb fellows.
Though Satya Dev is talented actor, he has not suited for this conman act. His image of character actor doesn't suit for this role. The lethargic narration is the main drawback.
All in all, "Bluff Master" doesn't pull off any interesting tricks, all the games dust bite.
Bottom-line: Corny Masala
