'Ma Oori Polimera 2', produced by Gowr Kriesna, was released in theatres today. Here is our review of the latest theatrical release.
What happened in the first part?
In 'Ma Oori Polimera' (2021), siblings Komaraiah (Sathyam Rajesh) and Jangaiah (Bala Aditya, as a constable) were humiliated by a lecherous sarpanch (Ravi Varma) in a Telangana village. The sarpanch died in a road accident later. A pregnant woman named Kavitha with whom Komaraiah was in love years earlier also died. Villagers started believing that Komaraiah got the sarpanch killed through black magic. Meanwhile, Komaraiah was believed to have been killed as a retribution. His brother, Jangaiah, decided to fight a legal battle to get justice but did a U-Turn by withdrawing the case after discovering that his brother was not only alive but was indeed guilty of black magic. Komaraiah was found absconding to Kerala.
What is the second part about?
Komaraiah is now in Kerala with a woman. A cop (Rakendu Mouli) and Balija (Getup Srinu as Komaraiah's family friend) set out to Kerala to trace him and prevent him from causing further havoc in the name of black magic. The fight attains greater proportions when it is revealed that Komaraiah is aiming at a vast treasure hidden in the underground of a temple in his village.
Post-Mortem:
Writer-director Dr. Anil Vishwanath ruins the viewer's experience by telling a story that doesn't make sense to those who haven't watched the first part. So, if you are watching 'Polimera 2', make sure you visit 'Ma Oori Polimera 1' streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar.
The first half is not haphazard (in fact, the exciting premise makes it nearly impossible to spoil the show) but the narration is a bit complicated. The shifting timelines and the multiple back-and-forths really confuse the viewer. Too many times, a subtitle has to tell the audience what timeline it is. 'Three months after that incident', 'Ten days before Bonalu', 'Present', 'Earlier'... The subtitles are hard to follow, especially because they are not few and far between.
Also, there are at least 4-5 characters whose names are used in conversation after conversation. If you fail to keep track of the names, chances are that your woes will multiply.
The film manages to create the right mood only in the last 20 minutes. Once a female character reveals her cards, the narrative acquires gravitas in a solid way. The lead to the third part, however, is dull.
Satyam Rajesh and Kamakshi Bhaskarla (as Lakshmi, Komaraiah's wife) lend dignity to the script with their acting. The latter, especially, is stunning in some scenes. She is trying to defy the norms in the glamour-obsessed Telugu film industry with her naturalistic performances. Hopefully, the film under review turns out to be her breakout movie. Getup Srinu is good in a serious role.
Kushedar Ramesh Reddy's cinematography and Gyaani's music are pretty ordinary. To be unforgiving, they are stuck in a time warp. Upender Reddy Chada's art direction is another minus.
Closing Remarks:
'Ma Oori Polimera 2' is a missed opportunity. While its commentary on greed and abuse of occult practices is welcome, the narration is fraught with several flaws.
