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Tuesday, April 16, 2024
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TELUGU KHALEJA
EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: **1/2
Mahesh Babu`s new film "Mahesh Khaleeja", which releases after a
three-year gap, hasn`t really lived up to the huge expectations built around it.
But Mahesh Babu has given a splendid performance and his screen presence is
terrific.
Everything looks perfect when Mahesh Babu is around though the script and
narration could have been much better. For those who expected another film like
"Okkudu" or "Athadu", "Mahesh Khaleeja" is
certainly a let-down.
The film, however, has its positive points apart from, of course, Mahesh Babu`s
perormance. The cinematography is mind-blowing and the comedy has a classic
touch.
Director Trivikram Sreenivas, who has always been a great script and dialogue
writer, fails to excel in his core strength this time. What we see on screen is
just a couple of hilarious dialogues and some funny situations, but the film
lacks the punch seen in Mahesh Babu`s previous film "Athadu", which
was also directed by Sreenivas.
In all his hugely successful films like "Pokiri", "Athadu"
and "Okkudu", Mahesh always had a few dialogues that had a lot of
force and punch. But here Sreenivas has tried to experiment and has given Mahesh
too many dialogues and they fail to make an impact.
The first half of the film is dull. It does pick up pace in the second half but
the narration is inconsistent and tedious. The climax is little better. The
audience may come back feeling that something was surely amiss somewhere.
In the film, Seetha Ramaraju is a jovial cab driver, who unwittingly gets mixed
up in a twin murder. He has to go to Rajasthan to claim compensation for his
battered vehicle where he faces many surprising incidents.
He also meets Subhashini, whom he had met earlier in Hyderabad. And Raju now
feels that Subhashini has brought him ill luck whenever he has met her.
While coming back, he goes to a village which is facing misery and people are
awaiting a messiah who can change their life for the better. The villagers
believe that Raju is their messiah and treat him so. A confused Raju later finds
out that the misery of the villagers is linked to the two murders he witnessed
in Hyderabad.
The story that unfolds is how Raju helps the villagers and frees the mining-rich
village from being exploited by greedy crooks.
Mahesh carries off his role with elan and looks superb too. Anushka looks pretty
but doesn`t share a good on-screen chemistry with Mahesh. Prakash Raj seems to
be repetitive as a villain. Brahmanandam, Sunil and Ali act well, but they don`t
have too much of space in the film.
Mani Sharma`s music is good and the film is visually slick and stronger. Peter
Heynes` fight choreography stands out in the film.
"Mahesh Khaleeja" is worth a watch for Mahesh`s strong screen presence
and charisma. It is otherwise just an above average venture.
