Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Prakash Raj, Radhika Apte, Master Akash, Brahmanandam etc
Music: Ilayaraja
Lyrics: Sirivennela
Story: Mahesh Manjrekar
Dialogues: Mahesh Raja, Jnanavel
Cinematography: Guhan, Kadir
Producer, Director: Prakash Raj
Release Date: 10th Feb 2012
Prakas Raj has got nothing to prove as an actor. He has got many accolades for his performance in various Indian language films. He has shown his adroitness in direction with the film ‘Akasamantha’ earlier in Kannada and proved that he has got the ability to make audience laugh and weep. Now he came up with Dhoni, an awareness film. Let us see how far he stood successful this time.
Story:
Subrahmanyam (Prakash Raj), a middle class man, strives hard to run his family and educate his two children. As he finds tough to make both ends meet with his modicum income, he also sells pickles and at times borrows money from people around. Due to his love towards his son and daughter he gives them very costly education that is beyond his pocket. But his son (Akash) loves cricket and finds no interest in studies. Subrahmanyam gets irritated with that and finds ways to make him study well. Although Akash completes till 9th standard, he says firm no to class 10th. Subrahmanyam gets angry with his motherless son and beats him hard. In the process Akash gets a bruise on head and gets into coma. What happens next is the story.
Performances:
As told above, it is needless to say about the performance of Prakash Raj. He excelled as middle class father perfectly. He resembled the neighbor next door. Kudos to him. But the director in Prakash Raj failed to exploit the actor in Prakash Raj in second half.
Radhika Apte has got apt role and ample screen presence. Murali Sharma is also perfect in his shoes. Master Akash has got good future. He really performed well in key scenes where there is scope to unleash talent. Gollapudi Maruthi Rao, Tanikella Bharani, Brahmanandam and Thalaivasal Ravi did their part well.
Highlights:
- Prakash Raj’s performance
- Ilayaraja’s music
- Sirivennela’s lyrics
Drawback:
- Poor second half
Analysis:
In this plot, there is an anguish to show the limitations in education system but director might have took that anguish as a revolutionary blow on society. Prakash Raj didn’t carve the plot in such away to build emotion among audience. How a father feels when his son goes to coma was not shown effectively. But as a producer and actor he did 100 percent justice to the film.
On a whole the plot is good but the execution part lacked conviction. The film that goes on right track in entire first half got derailed in the secord part. The required emotion lacked in large part. What’s the anguish of Prakash Raj’s character? Is he pointing out education system? Is he pointing out students? Is he pointing out to ban 17th table from tables book (one has to watch the film to understand this)? The confusion dominated the second half than the point to be communicated.
Ilayaraja’s music and Sirivennela’s lyrics gelled well. Cinematographer also excelled well but the screenplay lacked conviction as the story got advanced in second half.
The film neither makes audience carry an emotional feel nor makes them think towards a solution deeply. The film proved successful in raising the point but failed in giving solution. It’s a good attempt but not a good film.
Bottomline: Don’t build expectations with the title
Reviewed By Greatandhra Team
(Venkat can be reached at [email protected])
