Cast: Mahesh Babu, Kajal, Prakash Raj and others
Music: SS Thaman
Lyrics: Bhaskarabhatla Ravi Kumar
Cinematography: Sam K Naidu
Editing: SR Shekhar
Producer: RR Venkat
Story, Screenplay, Dialogue, Direction: Puri JagannathTheatrical Release: 13 January 2012
Story:
Mumbai city commissioner Ajay Bharadwaj (Nasser) announces in a Pressmeet that mafia dons are wiped out from the map of Mumbai. He also states that he would break the leg if any don steps in Mumbai.Instantly Surya (Mahesh Babu) steps in Mumbai. His friend (Brahmaji) takes him to his room in slum. Surya asks him to quit job and join him as an assistant to do his proposed crime business. He also says that he is in Mumbai to make it piss.
How he emerges as a don falls rest of the story. He uses his brain and brawn to grow big in Mumbai. He plays with system and preys on politicians to grow his business. On parallel line he loves Chitra (Kajal), the daughter of commissioner. Story wise, it's simple but the narration beauty is ample and dialogues tremble the senses of audience. Rest should be watched on screen.
Performances:
Mahesh Babu is all over the film. He charms with his style, scares with his intensity and strikes with his looks. His dialogue delivery is another high asset to the film.
Kajal Agarwal does her bit as required. She provides glamour where required and sheds tears when wanted. As such, her characterisation is not that strong but she provides some visual relief.
Prakash Raj was not used to his potential. In fact, his arrival comes rather late in the film and before he can pick up he is packed up. But those little moments he was there he made his presence felt.
Nasser was natural. His scenes with Mahesh Babu were effective and both shared a good chemistry. It is inspiring to see Nasser maintaining strong biceps even at this age.
Sayaji Shinde was standard. Brahmaji was usual. Dharmavarapu was contained. The girl doing the role of Kajal’s friend was funny. Shweta Bharadwaj sizzled in her item song. The others didn’t have much scope.
Highlights:
- Mahesh Dialogues
- Mahesh intensity
- Mahesh Timing
- Screenplay
- Songs
- Overdose of preaching
- Lack of villain
In one line, the story is about the emergence of a don by a common man. However, there is a fine line between narrating a story with conviction and clubbing it with cinematic liberties.
The liberties taken were too high and this led to an artificial feel among the audience. Films like ‘Nayakudu’ ‘Dhalapathi’ ‘Saamrajyam’ were classier in portraying such tales. Secondly, Mahesh is seen giving few lines on how one should be selfish.
Well, the audience may like what he is speaking because it is the hard truth but acceptance levels will differ. Moreover, for someone like Mahesh and his charisma, such lines are quite conflicting to his image. The entire film runs purely on two things- Mahesh Babu’s performance and Puri’s dialogue power.
Few quotes from Puri’s pen which are the highlight of his career:
- Dabbu shaaswatham kaadu, manushule shaashwatham antoo untaaru. Kaanee manushulu chachchipothunnaaru, dabbu maathram chaavatledu.
- Discovery channel lo puli jinkani veta aadatam chusthoo jinka bathakaalani prardhana chestaam. Jinka tappinchukogaane TV kattesi manam maatram velli kodini kosi biryani vanduku thinesthaam. Manaki jinka meeda prema kaadu. Puli meeda kopam. Daanini emi peekaleka adi odipote choodaalanukuntaam.
- Manushulu chepalni udakapetti, vepi rakarakaalugaa thinesthaaru. Ade oka shark chepa manishini korikite prapamchamlo anni news channels lonu choopistaaru. Em manushulavenaa praanaalu, chepalavi kaada?
- Nenu elago alaa bathikeyadaaniki raaledu. Mumbai ni uchcha poyinchadaaniki vachchaanu.
- Chuttu round up chesi confuse cheyoddu. Confusion lo ekkuva kottesthaanu.
Finally: 100% paisa vasool entertainers