'Krishnamma' stars Satyadev and others. Presented by Koratala Siva and produced by Krishna Kommalapati, the film is playing in theatres. Its trailer sustained the audience's interest by making a police case look suspenseful. Does the film deliver on the promise? What is it about? Let's find out.
Plot:
In 2003, three orphans were implicated in a heinous crime in a slum in Vijayawada. Bhadra (Satyadev), Shiva (Krishna Burugula) and Koti (Laxman Meesala) have to negotiate their way out of the mess. While Bhadra and Koti are not ideal men, they have been sinned against by a deeply cynical system. What is the explosive case about? Will the duo be able to bail themselves out?
Performances:
Satyadev Kancharana comes into his own with the film under review. While it is a tough ask to expect the commercial hero swag from him, he plays the underdog part perfectly in the revenge portions. Laxman Meesala is one underrated artist whose potential remains underexplored by others but not by this film. Krishna Burugula plays the timid one among the three friends with conviction.
Tamil artist Nanda Gopal plays the bad cop without the usual antics and histrionics associated with the stock character. He is excellent. Athira Raj and Archana Iyerr play the love interests of Shiva and Bhadra, respectively. Raghu Kunche is seen as a cop in the present-day Vinchipeta.
Technical Departments:
Music: Kaala Bhairava's background score is a winner.
Cinematography: Sunny Kurapati shows his talent.
Editing: Tammiraju B gets to show his craft.
Action Direction: Prudhvi Shekar stages routine fights.
Production Values: Very good.
Merits:
1. The entire second half is more than just decent. The tension has been built cleverly.
2. The scenes involving cops and lawyers merit the viewer's attention.
3. The songs are positioned in a measured manner.
4. Nanda Gopal's cop character is uplifted by the neat characterization.
5. A few dialogues are hard-hitting. The state of mind of the three friends was brought out well.
Demerits:
1. Routine love track between Shiva and Meena.
2. Unidimensional characterization of Bhadra in the first half. He is combative and boringly so.
3. There are no highs in the first half. Only the opening sequence is worth it.
4. Hackneyed conversations between the three friends.
5. The film falls back on the cliches associated with the orphan masala cinema genre.
Vox Verdict:
'Krishnamma' works best when you don't compare its themes and plot-turns with other movies. The second half is consistently good.
Rating: 2.75/5
