Power overload

What do you expect of a film that boasts of the cast and a “tell all title”: ‘Current Theega’. Straightaway loud.

Kudos to the filmmaker G Nageshwar Reddy. This is what you call a no-holds-bar entertainer. The director has a great idea of what the audience is hungry for. He takes you to the “real Indian village” which is the launch pad for the latest 140 minutes of “high voltage” drama. This is a class act of a defined and focused variety. Is it not essential to be ‘loud and clear’ about your intent? This film from the word go is loud, is clear.

This is not pretentious art. It is so self-defeatist to have the script and camera play Sudoku with your brains. This in contrast is entertainment where our stars function in front of a kaleidoscope. They ensure that the hearing impaired can hear and there is enough colour for even the visually challenged to see. Anyone can not only follow the story but even predict it.

Amazing cinematography caresses the anatomy as if it were the scenic best. Amazing dialogues – Chevvu kosukuntavo lekapothe inkedaina part….. What imagination, what creativity, what subtlety!

The simple story line: decades ago Veeraraju (Supreet) and Sivarama Raju (Jagapathi Babu) wager on the possibility of one of the latter’s three daughters would elope. The local interfering wayfarer Raju (the Manoj) first falls in love with the local school teacher (Sunny Leone) but soon turns his love interest for his hitherto postman Kavitha (Rakul Preet) who is none other than the daughter of the hate love local lord. Of course ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ even if it with loose wire.

The dress designer is amazingly imaginative with his multi-coloured designer shirts that would help the economy recycle cushion cover/curtains on their way to strengthen the multi-patched-quilt. Some amazing humour sampled with smelling a guy’s underarms, not washing your hand after going to the washroom. The filmmaker is sure this is what the audience enjoys!

It is not just romance and thrills, it is also high packed emotions like when the hero realises that he can’t live with his lover and breaks into group dance with item dance girls. Melody at its height in the drunk song. Loud and clear.

Jagapathi Babu: amazing performance. Power-packed! He drips into the role of serious patriarch. The Marlon Brandos, the Sivajis and Prithviraj Kapoor would be proud of this angered brilliance. When it comes to humour he is capable of seamless movement. True sublimation. The trophies must pour in for such brilliance as with Manoj – chip of the old block. What screen presence! The muscles and dimples must get even the guys weak-kneed. A few more similar outings and he would get even more recognition than dad. Mendel (and the law of Genetics) cannot be wrong. He has such brilliance that the director trusts him with light-hearted moments, heavy dramatic scenes, stunts, frills, rain drenched choreography and dust throwing dances. Awesome!

Don’t miss out on Sunny Leone who is obviously inspired by the style diva Sushmita Sen. She gets the chiffons right! Kudos to the brilliance of the filmmaker who perceived her as the village school teacher – almost on par with Satyajity Ray seeing a tribal in Simi Garewal (Aranyer Din Ratri). For sheer heterodoxy, salutations to the brilliance of G Nageshwar Reddy. Just imagine the rush of film producers – Avant Garde and populist at his door step! I hope he can handle such attention and success. Just as the audience does.

Also there is the extremely successful and talented young Rakul Preet Singh. In a role that can be moment defining of an adolescent girl growing to love the guy who woos her teacher, she has a great role. A-la the great Jaya Badhuri in pinafores to sarees (Guddi), here is a clear loud announcement of the blossoming talent at Tollywood.

Current Theega

Cast : Jagapathi Babu, Manchu Manoj, Rakul Preet Singh and Sunny Leone

Direction : G Nageshwar Reddy

Genre : Comedy-action

Rating : *SearchThe film