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EDITOR'S PICK
`Sukumarudu`:
emotionally cheerful (IANS Movie Review)
Rating: **1/2
Some films take time to strike a chord with the audience, but "Sukumarudu",
about greedy NRI protagonist, makes an instant connect with viewers. It`s
another Telugu film high on emotion with good performances. However, what makes
the seemingly entertaining film boring and melodramatic is the done to death
presentation style.
The story revolves around Sukumar (Aadi), a US-based ambitious NRI who grabs
every opportunity to make an extra penny. When he learns about an inheritance
that could fetch him a property worth Rs.150 crore, he backpacks and lands in
his village in Andhra Pradesh. The only thing between him and the jackpot is his
grandmother, the legal owner of the property. Will Sukumar be able to get his
hands on the property or not? This forms the rest of the story.
Trying to highlight the selfish side of modern-day generation, director Ashok
tries his best to paint a story that has its moments. However, here is another
film that could have been an entertaining family drama, but what we finally get
is a half-baked commercial drama.
With nearly sixty artists, it becomes extremely difficult to keep track of the
relationship between the characters.
The film turns cheerful after the arrival of the protagonist in the village, but
the overall presentation gets melodramatic and, therefore, it fails to engage
the audience throughout.
Even though it`s entertaining in parts, thanks to a host of comedians, "Sukumarudu"
fails to deliver what many films in the same genre managed to achieve.
The plot shuttles between love story and family drama without allowing the
audiences to internalise the happenings on the screen. The shift between genres
not only breaks the flow of the narrative, but makes it too artificial.
After two back-to-back hits, Aadi rises again in a tailor-made role and proves
his mettle as an actor. He shoulders his role with panache and conviction, while
trying to strike a balance between comedy and action. Nisha Aggarwal is neither
good nor bad.
The rest of the cast has played their respective parts quite well.
Despite few moments of sheer entertainment, "Sukumarudu" reminds the
audience of several films. Sharada makes a strong comeback, but for an actor of
her calibre, the role of a grandmother with hardly any purpose is an insult to
her years of experience.