Worth a few laughs

Right from the manner in which the title of a classic movie of the earlier era – ‘Shankarabharanam’ – has been used casually to justify the latest version (in which a bungalow bears the name), everything seems flippant and wafery with the latest Nikhil-starrer. A new genre, if one can call it, this film terms itself a ‘crime comedy’ and for most part of its running time of 150 minutes, sticks to that label faithfully.

With its deserted stretches, goonda- type characters and sand dunes, Bihar, as a location, may soon become the Rayalaseema for the local filmmakers, given the state-centric touch the film carries throughout. Though it is the typical evil-versus-more evil category, the topic of kidnapping and the presence of many gangs indulging in it as a full-time business is the novelty factor which gives this film a new twist in its approach. The director lends in more authenticity by roping in Hindi film actors like Sanjay Mishra, a Bihari by origin, who does an admirable job as the local don.

A typically stinking rich NRI hero, Nikhil, suddenly faced with a family crisis, lands in Bihar to dispose off his ancestral property–Shankarabharanam– which his estranged relatives have occupied over a decade and more. In comes the love-struck heroine, one of the occupants who falls for him as if that was the ordained thing for her to do.

The hero, however, places his American family’s needs in mind and goes about his plans. As he is about to succeed, he has a change of mind, gets kidnapped by one of the notorious gangs along with his lady love–Nanditha Raj- and the rest is how he comes out of it, to emerge victorious.

If the first half flows steadily, as the hero goes about his pre-fixed tasks, the film allows itself a different feel later, even making one await how it will shape up towards the climax. The crime comedy slot gives the right kind of heft for the posse of comic characters –including the latest craze Sapthagiri to Pruthvi, who carries the film to a certain extent till the end.

Nikhil plays to his strengths, emoting and reacting within limits, not attempting to play a superman, even when during the stunt sequences with the bad guys. As Telugu film heroines are rarely given a well-etched character, expecting Nanditha to make a mark is of course pointless. She, however, speaks atrocious English, raising a few laughs, to justify her Bihari background.

Here is where, the intensity of the criminal activities, as the hero plays one against the other with his chain of ideas begins to dissipate as the director has too many sub-plots packed in. The one in which he brings in Anjali, in a guest role, seems to be an afterthought, which is quite frankly, unnecessary.

Sampath Raj, seen in recent Telugu movies quite regularly, plays a corrupt politician pretty well, the only one who is seen throughout the film. In all, ‘Shankarabharanam’ is an okay film, handling a serious socio-political issue like kidnapping for ransom in an entertaining manner, rehashing cleverly the action genre thrillers with a garnishing of comedy and buffoonery.

Film Name : Shankarabaranam

Cast : Nikhil, Nanditha and Anjali

Direction : Uday Nandanavanam

By K Naresh Kumar