'Bhaje Vaayu Vegam', produced by UV Concepts, was released in theatres today. In this section, we are going to review the latest BO release.
Plot:
Venkat (Kartikeya Gummakonda) is an aspiring cricketer with an impeccable track record in the league stage. When he is asked to shell out Rs 10 lakh as a bribe to get into selections for the national team, he is in for a shock. His step-brother Raju (Rahul Tyson), meanwhile, is going through a low phase in life as a waiter at a 5-star hotel, where he develops an unexpected equation with a rich and powerful muscleman named David (Ravi Shankar). In an unpredictable turn of coincidences, Venkat picks up a fight with the son of David's Mayor-brother George (Sharath Lohitashwa). Around this time, Venkat's foster father (Tanikella Bharani) is hospitalized and is battling for life.
How the different threads come together and why the Venkat-Raju duo has to make a last-ditch effort to save their ailing father and themselves from ruthless men forms the rest of the story.
Performances:
Kartikeya started shedding the baggage of 'RX 100' with 'Gang Leader'. With 'Bedurulanka 2012', he tried comedy and registered success. In the latest film, he treads the path of a commercial hero with a contemporary touch. Rahul Tyson of 'Happy Days' fame gets to play a sincerely written role with ease. No, his is not a short role but a full-fledged one with a proper dramatic arc. Tanikella Bharani is seen as a father around whose fate the story revolves.
Iswarya Menon, who plays Venkat's love interest, has a fairly suspenseful role. Ravi Shankar is convincing, while Sharath Lohitashwa is routine. Babloo Prithviraj has a cameo, while Temper Vamsi plays a baddie with tempo.
Technical aspects:
In this film with minimal songs in the first half and zero numbers in the second, Radhan composes 'Set Ayyindhe'. The heavy lifting is done by the Background Score composer Kapil Kumar, who lets the pacing feel pulse-pounding. RD Rajasekhar's cinematography is not breathtaking but is decent nevertheless. Gandhi Nadikudikar's art direction is not vivid. Satya G's editing is commendable, especially in the racy second hour.
Post-Mortem:
Writer-director Prashanth Reddy raises the emotional stakes in the first half. The scene where Tyson's character tells the hero that he is not the biological son comes late in the film but hits hard even though the viewer is aware of the family dynamic. Cleverly, the shot was placed at the end of the trailer, thereby managing to present a surprise. Madhu Srinivas's dialogues are not verbose. There are no over-the-top lines in the name of melodrama.
Every punch, shot, and car chase pushes the characters emotionally and forces them to confront their vulnerabilities. The emotional core hinges on characters you care about.
The film should have gone beyond the obvious in some ways. On the upside, there are no boring segments. On the downside, though, there are only a few highs in terms of plot-turns.
Closing Remarks:
This is a film with emotional weight. A layer of tension only adds to the overall impact. All in all, 'Bhaje Vaayu Vegam' can be given a shot!
