'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram', produced by DVV Danayya, hits the cinemas today (August 29). In this section, we are going to review the latest box office release.
Plot:
The film is set in Sokulapalem, a fictional place inhabited by a populace whose ancestors were criminals. Surya (Nani) is destined to be at loggerheads with Inspector Dayanand (SJ Suryah), a merciless police officer who is licking his wounds because of his elder brother (Murali Sharma), a far more successful person than he is. When Surya tries to save Sokulapalem from the vice-like grip of Dayanand, little does he foresee the consequences of his decision. He must now contend with not one but two antagonists.
Performances:
Nani holds his forte in a film that is more about vigilante heroism than anything else. He harnesses his talent with finesse in the more crucial, dramatic segments of the film. However, this one is far from his best performance to date. The heroism was too heavy for him. SJ Suryah is terrific as a character notorious for erratic actions and extreme behaviour. Priyanka Mohan as Charulatha is dull and one-note.
Abhirami as Chayadevi (Surya's mother) is cool. Aditi Balan as Surya's sister is very good. Sai Kumar as Surya's father is excellent in a few scenes. Murali Sharma as Dayanand's brother with a quirk is measured. Harshavardhan (as the main antagonist's sidekick), Ajay, Supreeth, and Ajay Ghosh are apt.
Technical aspects:
DVV Entertainment has apparently invested a bomb in making this multi-lingual release. 'Garam Garam', sung by Vishal Dadlani, brings out an optimistic atmosphere. 'Ullaasam', composed also by Jakes Bejoy, is cheerful. The background score is far from being original. Karthika Srinivas' editing is not bad. Murali G's cinematography reflects the dramatic tones of the story but it is far from satisfying. The quick cuts and dynamic camera movements are not striking enough, though.
Post-Mortem:
Vivek Athreya, with 'Brochevarevarura', cemented his place as a new-age director. Despite the failure of 'Ante Sundaraniki', Nani gave him a second chance. In a pre-release interview, the actor stated that 'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' may be a vigilante actioner but it doesn't project the hero as a saviour.
In recent years, the commercial cinema template has been rendered lifeless. 'Mr. Bachchan' and 'Double iSmart' are among the more recent examples. In this context, a vigilante action thriller like 'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' had its task cut out. It was expected to avoid saturation, over-the-topness and routine elements.
The film under review meets the requirements to an extent. The writing is largely clever. There are no loud and in-your-face ingredients although the action choreography is just average. The mythification of the story by invoking Shiva and Yama, the staging of the confrontation between Surya and Daya, and a few other elements work.
On the flip side, Surya's anger issues look stale. His foolishness and irrational behavior even in the middle of an action scene just because of his late mother's sentiment undergirding his emotion is not worthy of applause. The slum-dwellers are shown to not have any luck even though their harasser is just a cop. Sai Kumar, in one of the early scenes, approaches Jhansi's character to alert her about an impending threat to her husband. Instead of doing the job, he indulgently narrates the tale of his son's struggle with anger issues!
Closing Remarks:
'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' is a well-intentioned vigilante action thriller that offers an engaging narrative and decent performances. While the film's technical aspects are commendable, the hero's character arc and a few predictable plot points hinder its overall impact.
