'Gully Rowdy' is out in the theatres. An entertainer directed by G Nageshwara Reddy, the film is produced by MVV Cinema. Let's find out its hits and misses.
Story
Vasu (Sundeep Kishan) is a petty rowdy who is hired by Sahitya (Neha Sheetty) to punish a petty rowdy. But his real challenge lies in saving Sahitya's family from the clutches of a giant rowdy named Bairagi. Eventually, everything goes haywire and they have a new enemy to contend with: CI Raghu Nayak (Bobby Simha), a violent cop. Sahitya's scared father Venkat Rao (Rajendra Prasad), a head constable, is clueless. But Vasu may have a plan up his sleeve.
Performances
At times, Sundeep Kishan's filmography has suggested that he takes himself way too seriously. Both 'Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene' and 'A1 Express' were in that category. 'Gully Rowdy', purely in terms of his characterization, is a whiff of fresh air. And the actor has cashed in on the irreverent nature of his character.
Neha Shetty, a trained actress, pulls off even the loud portions with some finesse. Bobby Simha, whom the Telugu audience haven't taken to kindly, is underwhelming. He puts in a couple of expressions repeatedly. Rajendra Prasad is once again pipped by a younger comedian, this time Vennela Kishore. Viva Harsha is not effective. Posani Krishna Murali is routine, while Shakalaka Shankar is boring. Nagineedu scrapes through.
Technical aspects
In an album dominated by Sai Kartheek, Ram Miriyala composes the one duet ('Puttene Prema') that is there. 'Addamgaa Bukkaipoyaa', 'Visakhapatnam lo Rowdy Gaado', and 'Changure Item Songree' don't interfere with the flow despite them being non-situational. The cinematography by Sujatha Siddharth is average. Chota K Prasad's editing is more or less smooth.
Analysis
Essentially, 'Gully Rowdy' is made as per a template. The comedy derives its gist and strength from the situations. Unfortunately, Nandu Savirigana's dialogues don't rise to the occasion, leaving the demanding audience disappointed.
The dialogues are superficial, with the film's ability to make the audience laugh relying entirely on the performers. In this respect, the actors are better off. And the performances alone save the film where the writing is poor and unexciting.
It is telling that Sundeep Kishan's character doesn't make a mark in the second half till the climax. It's a hint that the writing department didn't know how to be smart enough.
Most of the romantic tracks in commercial potboilers are pointless. And 'Gully Rowdy' is no different. The only relief is that everytime the romance starts testing the audience's patience, the family members (of the heroine, not of the hero definitely) chip in with some comic relief.
Closing Remarks
'Gully Rowdy', directed by G Nageshwar Reddy, is not the laugh riot it could have been. It has a below-average comedy. The first half is half-decent, but the second half is a missed opportunity completely.
