Film: Leader
Rating: 3/5
Banner: AVM
Cast: Daggubati Rana, Richa Gangopadhyaya, Priya Anand, Subba Raju, Harshavardhan, Kota Sreenivasa Rao, Ahuti Prasad, Tanikella Bharani, Suhasini, Suman, Udaya Bhanu etc
Cinematography: Vijay C Kumar
Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh
Music: Mickey J Mayor
Producers: M Saravanan and MS Guhan
Direction: Sekhar Kammula
Released On: 19th Feb 2010
YSR’s death, the ideas among people and followers that YS Jagan would be the next CM, the power game by other leaders in the party, split among party members……we have seen all this in current affairs from the last few months.
The story of ‘Leader’ was written years ago but the strange coincidence of major part of that story with reality brings in interest among Telugu audiences while watching this movie. It’s like unleashing reality on silver screen. It’s the true scenario that happens with the son of any CM, effectively depicted by Sekhar Kammula.
The political drama and selfish emotions among politicians shown in first half of the movie are excellent and spellbinding.
Had there been no heroine in first half, it would have been the perfect treat. But I wondered while watching second half. Sekhar Kammula lost grip on the narration. He missed clarity and ended up in utter confusion. There is perplexity with the relationships among the politicians on screen. How each one is related to the other?
Keeping that aside, Kammula failed to utilize the character of Kota Sreenivasa Rao. He would have also shown Subbaraju’s character with more cruelty and conviction in drama.
Rana is ok with bearing but his stone face is struggling a lot to spell out little emotion. He missed the chance of showing his histrionics when his mother (Suhasini) dies. No one knows how far he is good at dances and other commercial stuff. So we can judge about his future in Tollywood with this film.
Heroines are good looking but mere useless in this film. Kota and Subbaraju are good as villains and rest is ok.
The second half spoiled completely with the presence of heroine and a senseless romantic drama between the young Chief Minister of state and a girl. The lead role would have chosen some other way for political gain than merely marrying the daughter of another politician. All this messed up the narration and I have noticed the yells of discomfort from audiences.
Kammula failed to utilize the present political condition in the script to bring in better seriousness on a whole. He was carried by the routine formula fundamentals of grooving in a heroine. That spoiled the whole dish, especially in second half. It is true that second half is the most crucial for the success of any film.
The attempt is good. The approach holds variety and conviction. But the required seriousness was melted down with unnecessary stuff like heroines.
To sign off, it’s a movie that disappoints many who develop hopes as soon as the completion of first half.
Reviewed by Venkat Arikatla ([email protected])
