Movie: Size Zero (Sannajaji Nadumu)
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: PVP Cinema
Cast: Anushka, Anushka Shetty, Arya, Sonal Chauhan, Prakash Raj, Urvashi, Pavani Gangireddy, Brahmanandam, Gollapudi Maruti Rao and Others
Dialogues: Kiran
Written by: Kanika Kovelamudi
Music: M. M. Keeravani
Cinematography: Nirav Shah
Editing: Prawin Pudi
Art direction: Anand Sai
Presented by: Pearl V Potluri
Produced by: Param V Potluri, Kevin Anne
Directed by: K S Prakash Rao
Release Date: November 27, 2015
Back to back hits Baahubali and Rudhramadevi catapulted Anushka to the top position in South Indian film industry and her daring decision to put on weight of nearly 20 kgs for the role of obese girl for Size Zero had raised eyebrows.
Is all the hype about the movie justified? Has her decision to put on extra kilos paid off? Let’s find out in detail in this review.
Story:
Soundarya aka Sweety is overweight. Her mother's only worry is to get her married off to an NRI guy. A handsome NRI documentary filmmaker Abhi (Arya) comes for alliance and likes her but she rejects him for some strange reason. Later she likes him but by then he starts getting close to a slim social worker Simran (Sonal). Her mother makes Sweety join a slimming clinic called Size Zero Clinic owned by Satyanand (Prakash Raj). She comes to know that Satyanand is giving fraud medicines to them that affect health. Then what happens? How does she get Abhi?
Artistes’ Performances:
The movie belongs to no one else but Anushka. She has put in so much hard work and dedication to make the movie work and make the role believable. Even when the movie turns very dull, Anushka is the sole reason that would make one sit through the film.
Arya is just okay. Sonal is very glamorous, has suited perfectly to the role of a Size Zero girl. Prakash Raj as Size Zero Satyanand has done his best. Urvasi as her mother is another actor who shines in the movie. Gollapudi is just okay. Master Bharat provides some laughs. Brahmanandam and Ali are wasted.
Technical Excellence:
Size Zero boasts of rich visuals and decent technical values as the movie has services of highly experienced cinematographer Nirav Shah of Dhoom fame. Shah has come up with beautiful visuals.
Video: Watch Size Zero Public Talk
None of the songs are catchy except one 'Mella Mellaga' song. Artwork by Anand Sai is beautiful. Editing is not consistently good.
Highlights:
- Anushka’s performance
- First Half of the movie
Drawbacks:
- Weak screenplay
- Boring Second half
- Lack of entertainment
- Unimpressive music
Analysis:
Films on weight issues are not new to us as many movies including Kitakitalu were made in Telugu. Size Zero also deals with the same topic but with a dose of romance.
Anushka with her cute chubby looks and performance drives the first half of the movie without any jerks but second half turns upside down as it gets too boring and pretentious. It deviates from the basic idea. The main issue of a girl's weight problems takes a back seat, the typical elements of hero/heroine being in two minds about their love comes forth.
Too much drama in the second half about Clean India, and episode of exposing the slimming clinics has killed the joy of the theme. In the second half, the movie tries out to be Lage Raho Munnabhai but ends up as a yawn.
There is a big episode about cycling with all celebrities appearing, such lengthy sequences only serves the purpose of promoting the producer's firm - PVP Sports but not the movie. Such boring episodes are there post interval in plenty.
By making Anushka reject Arya in the first place for no reason and falling for him in next scene, going for him even when he is steady with another girl has made her character look like an immature girl.
To be fair, the film has pretty good first half. It is only after the interval the movie goes haywire, touching all aspects but never being on the core idea.
Rich visuals and making values, Anushka's great screen presence is the only redeeming factors in the movie's boring second half.
Director Prakash Rao who debuted with Anangana O Dheerudu has proved again that he has visual flair but has no grip on narration. Writer Kanika's script lacks dum. Music is another big letdown. The movie has excessive runtime.
Bottomline: Anuksha's Show
(Venkat can be reached [email protected] or Twitter)
