'Gam Gam Ganesha', produced by Kedar Selagamsetty and Vamsi Karumanchi, was released in theatres today. In this section, we are going to review the latest box-office release.
Plot:
Ganesh (Anand) is a petty thief who wants to strike rich. He is that typical crook who wants to crack that life-altering bounty and settle down with his childhood friend (Emmanuel of 'Jabardasth' fame) once and for all.
Meanwhile, a political leader named Kishore Reddy (played by Raj Arjun) has lost Rs 80 Cr to a seizure ahead of a prestigious by-election on whose outcome his life depends. He plans to smuggle in Rs 100 Cr arranged by a rich man by stashing it inside a Ganesha statue. In a quirky turn of events, Ganesh has a tryst with the same statue. Both the male lead and Kishore Reddy have their eyes set on the statue, which has now reached a village near Nandyala. Who is going to laugh his way to the bank? That's the climax.
Performances:
Anand Deverakonda looks free-spirited enough to pull off a role with grey shades. He is not rigid and that's a big win. Pragati Srivastava and Nayan Sarika are not pushed around in the name of giving preference to the male lead. They thoroughly make use of the opportunities presented by the film, although the romance track in the second hour is not at all endearing. Raj Arjun is a minus.
'Jabardasth' Emmanuel, as the hero's sidekick, is average. Vennela Kishore delivers the most laughs in the second hour; as a mentally retarded goofball, he threatens to chop off the organs of all and sundry. Satyam Rajesh is good.
Technical aspects:
Chaitan Bharadwaj of 'RX 100' fame has tried out a crime comedy for the first time. His background score stylizes a few scenes. The cinematography by Aditya Javvadi doesn't capture the urgency inherent in the drama. The portions involving the Ganesha statue have no sense of intrigue. Karthika Srinivas R's editing is uneven. The fights by Nabha and Anji are ordinary.
Post-Mortem:
Writer-director Uday Bommisetty, in pre-release interviews, stated that 'GGG' is themed on fear, greed and conspiracy. The characters in the film lack a moral compass, much like the people they seek to fool around or scam.
The number of characters inundating the plot undoes its potential. A sanyasi with supposed clairvoyance drives the plot in unexpected directions in the pre-climax segment. While the story is not meandering, the screenplay moves tediously from one anxious moment to another, one chaotic scene to another, one baddie screaming to another grey character expressing impotent rage.
Crime comedies suffer from the problem of coincidences and convenient plot-turns unless adequate novelty is injected. In 'GGG', the leap of faith in the climax makes the whole proceedings seem overcooked. All of this is aggravated by the absence of an emotional hook. The male lead's mission doesn't invite the audience to stay invested.
Closing Remarks:
'Gam Gam Ganesha' has a few comedy moments for sure. The lack of an emotional quality and the absence of an endearing protagonist leave so much to be desired.
