Film : Sri Mahalakshmi
Rating : 2/5
Banner : Sree Chalana Chitra
Casting : Sree Hari, Shamna, Suhasini, Sayaji Shinde, Tilakan, Rallapalli, Tanikella, Venu Madhav, Aishwarya, Rajitha, Mumaith Khan, Sana etc
Music : Mani Sharma
Dialogues : Krishneshwara Rao
Choreography : Nobel
Editing : Gowtam Raju
Lyrics : Bhaskara Bhatla
Producer : Shanti Sree Hari
Director : Vijayan
Theatrical Release : 4th May 2007
It’s a narration of murder mystery with the blend of action, drama and cruelty. Although a remake from Malayalam flick ‘Chintamani Kolai Case’, director Vijayan could take care to bring it to nativity. But Vijayan’s impact is felt on the film as fight master. Entire film appears to be packed with fights. It goes with twits of suspense and trysts of thrilling scenes.
Story:
Lakshmi Krishnadevaraya (Sri Hari) is an advocate. He is worthy of winning any type of case in the court of law. But he always stands beside criminals and cruel groups and advocates only on their side. Obviously he wins every case and saves the criminals. But what is his intention and what are his strategies? That raises curiosity to audiences.
Lakshmi Krishnadevaraya is called LK by people. But he calls himself a ‘Licensed Killer’. He takes big money from criminals and saves them in court but kills them when they come out. He knows that a criminal even though sent to Court that can’t be termed justice. He believes in ‘Cosmic Law’ and punishes criminals assuming himself as God.
Sree Mahalakshmi (Shamna) is the daughter of a school teacher. She gets into Medical College as first year MBBS student. She faces problem with a set of girls and eventually gets killed. The case comes to Lakshmi Krishnadevaraya. Even then he advocates only on the side of those girls. But finally, the story gives a big twist for the wonder of all.
Performances
Sri Hari’s performance pervades through out the film. He maintained a regular poise and tempo. He has typical hair style and typical dialogue rendition too.
Actress Shamna who acted in title role is good at looks and performed to her level best.
Suhasini has very little role to play as sister to Sri Hari.
Sayaji Shinde, Tanikella Bharani and others are routine.
Venu Madhav and Raghu Babu are there but they spilled no comedy.
Vijayan’s trial is good he lacked in screenplay part. He couldn’t blend different mass elements in right mix. Mani Sharma’s music is only for name sake. It’s impact is very little.
Dialogues:
Sri Hari: Nenu Vaadinchadam Modalu Pedithey Meeru Vaayidaalu Adukkovalasinde.
Analysis:
There is no comedy in the film. There is no heroine. There are no songs and dances except one on Mumaith Khan. There is no graphical extravaganza. So all these mass elements are missing and it runs only on unleashing mystery.
First half of the film runs on action and drama while second half goes only with major dose of mystery, investigation and typical climax. It’s all about how ‘Sri Mahalakshmi’ was killed.
A part of the film recalls the Hindi film ‘Tehkikat’ that was released about 10 years back.
It’s a good theme from Malayalam but would have carved better for Telugu screen. There would have been some improvements. Sri Hari takes big fees from his criminal clients to win the case. But what he does he do with that big sum in Crores? It would have been projected better if shown he is doing social services with that money.
On a whole the film is targeted for mass film lovers. But various ingredients were missing as discussed above. We have to see how far the patronage and generosity of masses pushes this film.
(SiraSri can be reached at [email protected])
