OTT review: Sathi Gani Rendekaralu

After multiple postponements, Aha’s original film “Sathi Gani Rendu Ekaralu” has finally arrived on the OTT platform. The movie stars Jagadeesh Prathap in the lead role who is popularly recognised as ‘Kesava’ which is the character name in the Allu Arjun’s blockbuster “Pushpa.” The film is directed by Abhinav Danda. So let’s see how it is.

Story

Sathi (Jagadeesh Prathap) lives with his wife, Andamma (Mohana Sree), and his two children in Kolluru. He is an auto driver, and all he has in life is two acres of land. Unfortunately, his daughter has a heart issue, and he needs a huge amount for the operation. With no other option left, he decides to sell his land, but one day he finds a briefcase that contains precious stones. Sathi asks his friend Anji (Raj Tirandas), a thief, to help him sell the stones. What happened next? Who actually is the owner of these precious stones? Did Sathi save his daughter’s life? This forms part of the crux of the story.

Analysis

The first hour of the film has some good moments, and the comedy portions click in parts. The background music creates a quirky feeling, and the music composer did a neat job. What otherwise could have been a solid comedy entertainer failed to rise beyond an extent due to the pale writing. The story has enough stuff to make the film an enjoyable and whacky ride, but the writing didn’t let that happen.

There are some very good fun portions that will make the audiences giggle, but as the movie keeps progressing, the entertainment quotient keeps declining. The second hour is totally filled with boring scenes, and this is where the film went wrong totally. Neither the scenes entertain us, nor do they add value to the story.

The even biggest drawback is the climax which is very poorly handled. It was mentioned that there would be another part to this movie, but the way in which the film ended is pretty disappointing. It gives an incomplete feel.

On the whole, “Sathi Gani Rendu Ekaralu” offers a few laughs and has the earnest performance of Jagadeesh Prathap. Vennela Kishore shines well, but the screenplay doesn’t let the film reach the next level. Hence Sathi Gani Rendu Ekaralu ends up being strictly an okay watch this weekend.

Performances

Jagadeesh Prathap gave a sincere performance as a person who is struggling to pool money for his daughter’s operation. His looks and body language are good, and he is pretty natural throughout the film. But it is Vennela Kishore who steals the show with his witty nature. His antics generate laughs and provide a bit of entertainment to the audience. Mohana Sree, Aneesha Dama, and Taj Tirandas are decent in their respective roles.

Technicalities

Writer and director Abhinav Danda has done just an okay job with the film. His story had a lot more potential to extract comedy and to provide thrills, but the movie manages to entertain only in a few parts. Had the makers focused more on the second hour and climax, the film could have turned out to be a laugh riot. Jay Krish’s background score gives a fresh and quirky mood to the proceedings. Vishwanath Reddy’s camera work is fair, and so are the production values. The editing is alright. A few dialogues are nicely written that offer humor.