The dowry issue took contrasting shapes in the Telugu cinema of the 1980s and 1990s. Many directors (like Dasari Narayana Rao) built melodramatic tales, while some filmmakers who were inclined to make comedies wrote exaggerated characters around the issue of 'vara katnam'. Sapthagiri's upcoming comedy entertainer, Pelli Kani Prasad, draws its inspiration from the latter genre.
But the film's Teaser is unfunny. Muralidhar Goud of DJ Tillu fame looks too monotonous for the role. The paucity of talent in Tollywood is so vivid when you realize that he is the only go-to artist for the caricaturish dad roles these days. VK Naresh, Murali Sharma and Rao Ramesh are banking on bigger parts. Someone should explore the comedic side of unusual performers, maybe.
Sapthagiri makes a comeback in a lead role. Once again, he appears too jaded for the role of a son who can't wait to get married. His father's dowry obsession is coming in the way.
Pelli Kani Prasad is directed by Abhilash Reddy Gopidi. Hope this one doesn't turn out to be a 'Web series ki ekkuva, feature film ki takkuva' kinda movie.
