Movie: Ra Ra Krishnayya
Director: Mahesh P
Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Regina Cassandra, Jagapthi Babu, Kalyani, Tanikella Bharani, Ravi Babu, Tagubothu Ramesh
Rating: **1/2
Ra Ra Krishnayya is a welcome entry to the league of a modern-day yet old world at heart family entertainers as long as you don’t consider its Hindi film bound inspirations. P Mahesh Babu being a first-time maker belongs to the school of A L Vijay. He knows where to retain the original structure of Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya and bring in the crowd pulling regional strokes to add some color. The plot about peace-making settlements between families with feudal tendencies is his way of playing safe. The start to such trends was by Srinu Vaitla with Dhee and here you still witness its sustenance. In fact, the writer duo of Kona Venkat and Gopimohan behind outings like Denikaina Ready, Doosukeltha and Pandavulu Pandavulu Thummeda will be proud of their latest follower who doesn’t mind tinkering with their legacies as much.
Sundeep Kishan, after Venkatadri Express has aspirations headed at cementing his stature as a lead actor. The budding performer in him makes way to someone who can nearly carry a film on his shoulders. The signature frustrated expression of his gets the bulk of uneasy attention but he’s consistently at ease in hogging the limelight. He enjoys the screen time opposite his on-screen love interest Regina Cassandra as much as his trial in putting some purpose behind the self-denial and emotional longing.
The core of the script is as old as the green field that the cinematographer conveniently zooms into. The unoriginal arena speaks for itself. The other side of the coin for a viewer taking the escapist route with such neatly rehashed yet unimaginative cinema remains that he is spoon-fed with all the details sans a choice. Except for the producer’s calculation of it striking a chord with the fans of what has been widely publicised as a clean-family entertainer, you know this is a film that won’t quite stay in your memories for long. The structure is already in place before its executed, the embodiments just change.
You however want to be part of the fun listening to the lines of Regina and Jagapathi Babu. The former is an alternative to those who miss Genelia’s presence. The senior actor unlike Legend does something he can sleepwalk through. But you know they could have been more than the eye cum ear candies who tease, chatter and please. The familiar backdrops don’t permit to give a rawness-check with the director in terms of his inventiveness or the lack of it.
Ra Ra Krishnayya, if successful will prompt more newcomers or even the experienced counterparts to indulge in such identifiable fiddling. The relief that these films can provide amidst works that celebrate spellbinding logic can be immense. This is definitely not a bad film when you blindly consider it as a stress-freeing exercise but the overkill of this genre hurts. The craft undermines its potential and the commerce takes over.
Review by Srivathsan N. First published in Cinegoer.net