'Mistake', produced by Abhinav Sardhar, is hitting the screens this Friday. The film is written and directed by Bharrath Komalapati. Let's find out what works and what doesn't.
Plot:
Three sets of young couples in their early twenties long for an adventurous vacation to break free from their mundane existence. They set out on a trip on an open jeep, only to be confronted by a mysterious brute (Abhinav Sardhar) who is out to attack them. In their attempt to escape from him, the six lead characters face an existential threat. Eventually, when they come to know that the deadly individual is after them in search of precious diamonds, all hell breaks loose.
Performances:
The director's attempt to entertain the audience through naive/idiosyncratic/over-romantic characters falls flat. Ajay Kathurvar, Sujith Kumar, Teja Ainampudi, Karishma Kumar, Taniya Kalrra, and Priya Paul play three couples who behave as though they have been programmed to think alike. None of them has better ideas when they are faced with a threat to their lives. Despite outnumbering the antagonist, the protagonists fail to consider the possibility of ambushing him or devising strategies for a surprise attack.
The simplistic storyline and shallow, stereotypical characters are evident in the actors' performances. Among the male leads, a temple priest sports a fashionable beard, and his manner of speech lacks consistency. Similarly, a stylist character stands out as not fitting the role convincingly.
Raja Ravindra plays a cop whose entry in the climax leads to no closure. 'Jabardasth' Naresh is barely funny. Sameer plays a lecherous baddie whose demeanour belongs to a bygone era.
Technical Departments:
Music director Mani Zenna composes a decent song (the one in the hermitage inhabited by dwarfs). Cinematographer Hari Jasthi fails to tap into the genre. The action-adventure in the backdrop of a forest deserved better camera angles. Editor Vijay Mukthavarapu's job was made difficult by the haphazard writing on display. The fights by Pruthvi Shekar never look like fights - they are unintelligent.
Merits:
The premise of three men and their three girlfriends going on a vacation and ending up in a soup.
One song.
The open-ended climax introducing the premise of 'Mistake 2'.
Demerits:
Silly dialogues (even when they face a deadly situation, the characters can only think of gay sex and all).
Tonal inconsistency. The movie wants to be a survival thriller, adventure comedy, and adult comedy at once.
The antagonist. Is he a clown or a 'KGF'-type villain?
The hermitage track, where dwarfs are brought in for cheap laughs.
Sameer's track. He is a business tycoon who behaves like a headless chicken.
Vox Verdict:
'Mistake' suffers from an identity crisis. Its plot points are dated. Its twists are almost non-existent. The adventure goes for a toss.
Rating: 1.75 / 5
