Suspense thrillers have had a very good success rate these days. Many producers have realized that it is a 'minimum guarantee' genre. If the genre is coupled with the right kind of screenplay, it is sure to shake the box-office. 'Bala Mitra' is a suspense thriller to the core. While the title reminds us of Chandamama stories, the film's teaser, trailer and other promotional material indicated otherwise. The makers of the film kept saying that the title is classy and that the film will entertain all sections of the audience. They have released the film today (February 26). Here is our review of the latest box-office release.
Story
Arjun (Ranga), a medical student, falls in love with his classmate Deeksha (Kia Reddy). Deeksha spurns his love proposal in the beginning but she reciprocates the feeling after she realizes that he is genuine. Unexpectedly, Deeksha gets kidnapped. The abductors demand Arjun to kill three particular individuals if he wants Deeksha back in life. Arjun executes their demand partially. He goes to a village as a childhood friend, where a woman named Vaishali looks after him with love.
Why did Deeksha get kidnapped? How is Vaishali's family related to Arjun's murders? If you want to know the answers to these questions, you got to watch the movie.
Performances
Ranga is good-looking and has got all the qualities of a hero. Some of the scenes stand out because of his acting. This is his second film. But he has acted like an experienced guy. As an agonized lover boy, he has given a subtle performance. Kia Reddy is glamorous and has also acted well. She is a protagonist who drives the story. As Bala Tripura Sundari, she is very convincing. She is quite engaging as a character who drives the main twist. She looks the part of a village woman. The hero's friends elicit laughs. Dayananda Reddy, in the role of a father, is good.
Technical aspects
Music and cinematography are the movie's special attractions. The music director has won the audience's hearts with two songs and background music. 'Vellipomakey' and the song themed around the father-daughter relationship are cool. Editing and artwork are okay. The production values are rich. The producer spent adequate money because he trusted the story.
Coming to the director Sailesh Tiwari, he has shown maturity in the way he handled the script. His execution skills are commendable. The way he has narrated the twists in the second half is superb. And the climax is gripping.
Analysis
The film takes off on a tense note. A Disha-like incident is narrated. The titles play out against an interesting backdrop. A cartoon plays out and if you carefully follow it, you get a taste of the entire story. The director's ability to mix entertainment and suspense is very good. The love track is highlighted in the first half. In the second half, the actual story follows.
The way the hero understands the reason behind him being made to murder people is revealed as a twist. The screenplay has an 'Athadu'-like feature, with the hero ending up with a family incognito. This element is a highlight.
The director displays a nice ability to extract comedy from a range of characters. The film drives home the message that ambition needs to be matched with thoughtfulness. While the first half is not entirely great, the second half is satisfying. The director has succeeded in conveying the main point to the audience.
Closing Remarks
'Bala Mitra' makes for a good watch. The second half's screenplay, the twist, the message and the suspense thriller genre work to its advantage.
