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Akhanda Movie Review: Balakrishna punches the goons, this film punches the audience

Rating: ( 1.5 / 5)

Akhanda is a true-blue Boyapati Sreenu film. This is neither a criticism nor an appreciation; I’m merely stating a fact. Ever since his debut with Bhadra , Boyapati has refused to evolve as a storyteller. What has changed, though, is the way his barbaric villains mercilessly murder dozens of junior artists. With Akhanda, Boyapati has reached a new high in savagery: A hospital where sick children are being treated explodes, a truck runs over dozens of poor men, some more men are set on fire, an entire community of labourers is gunned down. Well, what’s so surprising, you may ask. There have been several gory sequences involving mass murders in the director’s filmography. Legend, for instance, had a scene where four dozen fishermen are stabbed and diced; an equal number of background artists are killed in Sarrainodu, Simha, Vinaya Vidheya Rama , so on and so forth. In Akhanda , though, all the sequences of sadism play out in a span of 10 minutes. There’s no stopping an uncaged Boyapati Sreenu in Akhanda .

His conviction to execute the most insane of his ideas is a lesson for future filmmakers. Picture this: hundreds of goons equipped with all the weaponry from Telugu Masala Film’s godown — from machine guns to axes and even chilli powder — have to kill Balakrishna’s Akhanda Sikandar Rudra Agora (that’s his name), who is in the middle of a prayer devoting his undivided attention. Yet they miserably fail and how! That’s what I call conviction. That’s what I call taking the audience for granted. If the callousness towards the audience’s intellect and the recklessness towards storytelling wasn't outrageous enough, Thaman's loud... I mean, LOUD score is the trishulam to our ears. But, why am I questioning the decibel levels in a Boyapati film? 

In between the bloody, gravity-defying fights, there is a semblance of a story. One fine day an extremist named Gajendra kills a faithful guru and takes his spot as a godman to conjure the world. The same day a couple in Rayalaseema is blessed with twins. On the same fine day Jagapathi Babu, who plays a sadhu, warns the father to let go of one of the kids because one of the infants would be destruction personified, while the other is the personification of nature. Usually, this means one of the twins is timid while the other is the wild type. But here both of them are equally violent with innovative methods to decimate their opponents. So why even estrange them? Again, why am I questioning logic in a Boyapati film?

It’s almost impossible to objectively analyse a film like Akhanda , considering how mind-numbingly dumb it is. But what can you do if that’s the film the filmmaker wanted to make. While Boyapati succeeds in what he sets out to do, the ultimate loser is of course... us. Of course, we signed up knowing the film will be loud, crass, violent, and more importantly, senseless. What surprised me, however, is the level of all these attributes. The villains in Boyapati films are cruel, and in Akhanda , it is the turn of Varadharajulu (played by Meka Srikanth, who made a career out of playing soft and kind roles) to do the needful. There is no dearth of crudeness, but here,  they really start bothering you after a point: a mother is raped in front of her child and I see no point for such a sequence to exist. I think it’s shameful that filmmakers in 2021 keep using rape as a device to "infuriate" the hero. What’s funnier is the fact that Srikanth is not even given the "main villain" status. Again, why am I even questioning the writing choices in a Boyapati film? 

If there’s one thing Boyapati has learned from the failure of his previous outing, the subdued superhero film Vinaya Vidheya Rama , it’s that you never play it subtle. In Akhanda , Boyapati makes his hero a proper superhero, err, God, this time. In a scene where Akhanda Sikandar Rudra Agora hits a guy, we see a goon’s soul exiting the body and as he falls back, the soul and body meet. Likewise, he can touch a human and see their past. I wish Boyapati explored this angle deeper, it could have been a fitting answer to Unbreakable. We have a heroine as well, played by Pragya Jaiswal, and in tradition with Boyapati-isms, she is hailed as an “inspiration” for the young women, and then this is immediately followed by a crude scene involving a seatbelt. Perhaps the only character who gets a proper arc is a local goon who is reformed by Muralikrishna early in the film. Again, why am I trying to analyse the craft of a Boyapati film? 

There’s a funny dialogue in the film. “You punish the evildoer by confining him in a cell, I punish by sending him to hell,” Akhanda Sikanda Rudra Agora fiercely says. Boyapati's Akhanda takes it too seriously. 

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Akhanda movie review: Balakrishna punches goons, this film punches audience

A khanda is a true-blue Boyapati Sreenu film. This is neither a criticism nor an appreciation; I’m merely stating a fact. Ever since his debut with Bhadra, Boyapati has refused to evolve as a storyteller. What has changed, though, is the way his barbaric villains mercilessly murder dozens of junior artists. With Akhanda, Boyapati has reached a new high in savagery: A hospital where sick children are being treated explodes, a truck runs over dozens of poor men, some more men are set on fire, an entire community of labourers is gunned down. Well, what’s so surprising, you may ask.

There have been several gory sequences involving mass murders in the director’s filmography. Legend, for instance, had a scene where four dozen fishermen are stabbed and diced; an equal number of background artists are killed in Sarrainodu, Simha, Vinaya Vidheya Rama, so on and so forth. In Akhanda, though, all the sequences of sadism play out in a span of 10 minutes. There’s no stopping an uncaged Boyapati Sreenu in Akhanda.

His conviction to execute the most insane of his ideas is a lesson for future filmmakers. Picture this: hundreds of goons equipped with all the weaponry from Telugu masala films godown - from machine guns to axes and even chilli powder - have to kill Balakrishna’s Akhanda Sikandar Rudra Aghora (that’s his name), who is in the middle of a prayer devoting his undivided attention. Yet they miserably fail and how! That’s what I call conviction. That’s what I call taking the audience for granted. If the callousness towards the audience’s intellect and the recklessness towards storytelling wasn’t outrageous enough, Thaman’s loud... I mean, LOUD score is the trishulam to our ears. But, why am I questioning the decibel levels in a Boyapati film? 

In between the bloody, gravity-defying stunts, there is a semblance of a story. One fine day an extremist named Gajendra Sahu kills a faithful guru and takes his spot as a godman to conjure the world. The same day a couple in Rayalaseema are blessed with twins. On the same day, Jagapathi Babu, who plays a sadhu, warns the father to let go of one of the kids because one of the infants would be destruction personified, while the other is the personification of nature. Usually, this means one of the twins is timid while the other is the wild type. But here both of them are equally violent with innovative methods to decimate their opponents. So why even estrange them? Again, why am I questioning logic in a Boyapati film?

It’s almost impossible to objectively analyse a film like Akhanda, considering how mind-numbingly dumb it is. But what can you do if that’s the film the filmmaker wanted to make. While Boyapati succeeds in what he sets out to do, the ultimate loser is of course... us. Of course, we signed up knowing the film will be loud, crass, violent, and more importantly, senseless. What surprised me, however, is the level of all these attributes. The villains in Boyapati films are cruel, and in Akhanda, it is the turn of Varadharajulu (played by Srikanth Meka, who made a career out of playing soft and kind roles) to do the needful. There is no dearth of crudeness, but here,  they really start bothering you after a point: a mother is raped in front of her child and I see no point for such a sequence to exist. I think it’s shameful that filmmakers in 2021 keep using rape as a device to “infuriate” the hero. What’s funnier is the fact that Srikanth is not even given the “main villain” status. Again, why am I even questioning the writing choices in a Boyapati film? 

If there’s one thing Boyapati has learned from the failure of his previous outing, the subdued superhero film Vinaya Vidheya Rama, it’s that you never play it subtle. In Akhanda, Boyapati makes his hero a proper superhero, err, God, this time. In a scene where Akhanda Sikandar Rudra Aghora hits a guy, we see a goon’s soul exiting the body and as he falls back, the soul and body meet. Likewise, he can touch a human and see their past. I wish Boyapati explored this angle deeper, it could have been a fitting answer to Unbreakable. We have a heroine as well, played by Pragya Jaiswal, and in tradition with Boyapati-isms, she is hailed as an “inspiration” for the young women, and then this is immediately followed by a crude scene involving a seatbelt. Perhaps the only character who gets a proper arc is a local goon who is reformed by Murali Krishna (also Balakrishna) early in the film. Again, why am I trying to analyse the craft of a Boyapati film? 

There’s a funny dialogue in the film. “You punish the evildoer by confining him in a cell, I punish by sending him to hell,” Akhanda Sikanda Rudra Aghora fiercely says. Boyapati Sreenu’s Akhanda takes it too seriously.

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Akhanda movie review: For better or worse, this is everything you expect from a Nandamuri Balakrishna-Boyapati Srinu film

Akhanda is a film where a human bone breaks and it makes the sound of a plastic bottle being crushed. Everything is deliberately loud and glib.

Language: Telugu

For most of us, one Bala Krishna is more than enough. Not for Boyapati Srinu, though. It has been that way with all the three films they’ve collaborated on. It’s either that his screen presence is way too potent to fit into a single character, or he is half as charismatic as he used to be, so the viewer needs two of them to not notice the difference. In  Akhanda , too, he creates two characters for the actor. But he abandons one, Murali Krishna (Bala Krishna), as soon as the character is done laying the path for the entrance of Akandha (Bala Krishna) , an  aghora , who is the heir-apparent of Lord Shiva.

It is interesting to see a film that uses twins this way; one character as an exposition device and the other as resolution. What about the 2nd act, the central conceit, you might ask. Well, the lack of conceit or the repetitiveness of it is the film’s conflict–the second Bala Krishna enters and looks the same way he does in  Legend . Can we watch the same film again and again, with a few changed parameters? Can a head-splitting BGM distract the viewer from the fact that the film’s second half is just a lengthy fight sequence? Watch the film to find out.

Inside a palatial home in Anantapur, a woman is sleeping after giving birth to twin boys. The father takes them to a swami (Jagapathi Babu) to seek his blessings. The swami is pleased by one of them and calls the other  pralayam  (destruction). When asked by the father to get rid of the child, he puts him in an alms bag of another swami, who is going to Varanasi. The child who isn’t abandoned grows up to be Murali Krishna, who is all things good. He wants to eradicate factionalism, violence against women, and save the planet from misuse–Telugu cinema hero’s trivial trifecta. He is soon stopped from living his best life, as bad people are aplenty in the cinematic world of Boyapati.

When the film is all but ending, an investigative officer from New Delhi asks Akhanda, ‘Meru maala manishi kaadha?’ (Aren’t you a human, like us?) ‘Never’, Bala Krishna replies in his signature manner. That made me laugh, but to everyone else chanting ‘Jai Balayya’ it was a rousing moment. You can never tell with a Bala Krishna performance; whether you are supposed to be moved by it or laugh at it. Having said that, he is great as this god-like man who is killing people left and right, bad CGI be damned. M. Rathnam’s dialogues are appropriately over-the-top and fun too. Pragya Jaiswal plays Saranya, an IAS officer, who is enamored by Murali Krishna and later marries him. She is relatively well-written and Pragya carries her well. Do we see her do collector-y things? Don’t be ridiculously greedy. Of course, we don’t.

If Boyapati can be seen through the lens of an auteur, reckless violence would be his trademark. Srikanth plays a businessman who likes the feel of warm blood between his fingers. He is appropriately towering and scary to look at, but the effect wears off. The film spends so much time elevating a godman, Gajendra, but, in the later parts of the film, he looks clueless. In any other film, the hero’s eventual loss of invincibility and possible death is what keeps things interesting for the viewer. But  Akandha ’s titular character is a man who cannot be destroyed. So, the viewer develops a robotic detachment with the proceedings knowing well that the hero will come out of it unharmed. Commerical or otherwise, it is just bad cinema.

The film begins with a military operation. When an officer finds the man they are looking for and calls it in. Instead of acting on the information, the commander starts telling the officer who this man is and why he must be caught. Meanwhile, the criminal kills them all and escapes. As far as exposition goes, that’s a very bad start. One doesn’t go into a film like this expecting technical prowess. Even so, I was taken aback by the clumsy writing. The women in the film are just there to justify the hero’s violence. First, they put her through unspeakable horror, and use that as an occasion for brutal heroism. You can’t even complain because that is, apparently, empowerment. No one quite abuses consequentialism the way a commercial filmmaker does. Not to forget the herds of people killed for the sake of an emotional punchline that never quite hits you where it is supposed to.

In this world, a seatbelt can be used to give a message while also being a sexy thing that segues into a song. A world of possibilities where time and space are mere suggestions. A man who is supposed to be in Kasi will appear in time to help someone in Ananthapur. Bala Krishna will stand in the foreground, complimenting someone in the background, and even if he points his finger in the opposite direction of where the man is, the viewer will understand who he is talking about. No one in the film is named Balayya, but the film will have a song titled ‘Jai Balayya’ because who is stopping them?

The film released in theatres on 2 December 2021.

Rating: 1.5

Sankeertana Varma is an engineer who took a few years to realise that bringing two lovely things, movies and writing, together is as great as it sounds. Mainly writes about Telugu cinema.

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When the nefarious Varadarajulu plans to attack Murali Krishna, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Akhanda leaves no stone unturned to defeat the evil. When the nefarious Varadarajulu plans to attack Murali Krishna, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Akhanda leaves no stone unturned to defeat the evil. When the nefarious Varadarajulu plans to attack Murali Krishna, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Akhanda leaves no stone unturned to defeat the evil.

• Boyapati Srinu
• Nandamuri Balakrishna
• Pragya Jaiswal
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• 4 wins & 8 nominations

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• Trivia It is the third film of Director Boyapati Srinu and Balakrishna .First was Simha Second was Legend
• Alternate versions The UK release was cut, the distributor chose to remove or reduce moments of violence, injury detail and sexual violence in order to obtain a 12A classification. An uncut 15 classification was available.
• Soundtracks Adigaa Adigaa (Telugu) Music by S. Thaman Lyrics by Kalyan Chakravarthy Tripuraneni Performed by S.P.B. Charan , M.L. Sruthi

User reviews 269

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Akhanda Movie Review

Article by Suman M Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 9:13 am, 2 December 2021

2 Hr 48 Min   |   Action - Drama   |   01-12-2021

Cast - Balakrishna, Pragya Jaiswal, Srikanth, Jagapathi Babu, Nitin Mehta, Poorna and others

Director - Boyapati Sreenu

Producer - Miryala Ravinder Reddy

Banner - Dwaraka Creations

Music - S Thaman

Nandamuri Balakrishna and Boyapati Sreenu’s combination has become a hit sentiment to Balayya’s fans with the previous two movies of the combo turning blockbusters. Simha and Legend were massive hits, and here comes the duo yet again with Akhanda. The trailer appeared powerful with Balayya in Akhanda look and locking horns with powerful villains. The movie hit the screens today and that too with huge openings all over. Let us walk through the review now.

What Is It About?

Gajendra (Nitin Mehta) takes over Maharudra Peetham in Karnataka to become its head and conduct his illegal activities using his influence as Maharudra Peethadhipati. His partner, Varada Rajulu (Srikanth) a ruthless baddie owns a mine with which he starts polluting the surroundings with his mining mafia and Uranium extraction.

Murali Krishna (Balakrishna), a farmer and a social reformer in Anantapur falls in love with District collector Saranya (Pragya Jaiswal) and they both get married. Murali Krishna learns about Varadarajulu’s mafia and also that the mining waste is the reason for the death of many in his area. Murali confronts him but goes behind bars in an unfortunate scenario and his family falls in trouble due to Varadarajulu. Meanwhile, Murali’s long-lost twin Akhanda Rudra Sikander Ghora (Balakrishna) comes to rescue Murali’s little daughter. What separated Murali and Akhanda? How Akhanda saves all and what is he up to? The remaining story answers these questions.

Performances

Balakrishna is usual as Murali Krishna, but he’s shown powerful as Akhanda. Balakrishna appears as a juggernaut and unstoppable in the role of Akhanda. But the elevation scenes and the stunt scenes go beyond the limit. Most of them have the goons literally flying in the air after Balayya delivers a kick or punch. Murali Sharma’s role is elevated in the first half, and to everybody’s surprise, he does not have a single dialogue in the second half. Balayya as Akhanda looks powerful and it is a treat to fans.

Pragya Jaiswal has a full-length role as Murali Krishna’s wife and she is alright. Even she did not get to utter a dialogue in the second half, where Akhanda takes over.

Poorna aka Shamna Kasim appears as a government official who suffers badly for trying to put baddies behind the bars. Nitin Mehta is just like any other Bollywood villain and he is not any special. Srikanth looked ruthless and he can get more rugged baddie roles after this. Balayya and Srikanth’s confrontation and action scenes are just okay. Jagapathi Babu will be seen in a small role that is just limited to elevating Akhanda.

Technicalities

Boyapati Sreenu did not leave his formula for his movies with Balayya. He might have thought it as a success mantra to have Balakrishna in the dual role. He came up with it yet again in Akhanda too. The first half will have a jovial yet powerful Balayya and when he gets into trouble, the second one comes out even more powerful to save them all. So, Balayya knows the drill and he did everything by the Boyapati’s book.

Among the songs, Jai Balayya is colorful and may impress the fans and masses. Akhanda song is also fine. The background music is good. The cinematography is good. Editing is fine. Some dialogues are good, while some go overboard.

Most of the fight scenes are prolonged. Also, it is high time that the stunts with goons getting crushed to the pulp or flying in the air needs a change. In many scenes, it is just blood, dust, and bodies all over.

Balakrishna as Akhanda Dialogues Background music

Thumbs Down

First Half Prolonged action scenes Formulaic writing Excess run time

Boyapati Sreenu must be under a lot of pressure to deliver a hattrick with Balayya that too after his disastrous Vinaya Vidheya Rama. He stuck to his formula of two Balayyas, a big family, two or three villains, elevation dialogues, and extreme action scenes.

The story of a bad guy’s mining mafia obstructed by the protagonist finally the good winning over evil is as old as mountains. Boyapati goes with the same story, except that he shows Balayya as agora like no other director ever did.

The movie begins with the establishment of the villain’s role and then Balayya’s entry. From there it goes mostly on a predictable note and gives us a feeling that we watched it already elsewhere.

The first half of the movie has unwanted elevation dialogues and scenes one after the other. The love story between Balayya and Pragya Jaiswal is completely boring while there are even boring episodes like ‘Kallu’ drinking and others. There were many boring scenes where Balayya will be seen lecturing people without missing the rhyming words.

Balayya (Murali Sharma) getting arrested for a bomb blast and staying silent since then appears illogical. Though it is the director’s plan to put his calm in the second half to elevate Akhanda, it could be justified. Somehow the same Balayya comes out of jail for the climax fight scene.

The sincere officer who arrests Balayya accusing his possible hand in the blast listens to Akhanda’s preachings even though the latter makes a pile of dead bodies. The NIA officer stays along but fails to establish a connection of bomb blast to mining mafia goons, which makes no sense.

There are some cliched and over-dramatic scenes like the people giving away their lives to save the protagonist’s family, a central minister praising Balayya like a fan, and many more.  

One more drawback for Akhanda is its run time. The first half appears dragged with songs and too many boring episodes, while the second half has prolonged stunt scenes.

Having said that, Akhanda is a Boyapati-Balayya formulaic commercial film that offers no surprises or great twists. Balayya’s Akhanda look and dialogues in certain scenes with apt background score are sure to give goosebumps to his fans. Finally, Akhanda remains a complete mass movie in Boyapati-Balayya template.

Bottom line: High Voltage Action Without Emotion

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• Akhanda movie review highlights: Balakrishna and Pragya Jaiswal's film is high on masala

Akhanda movie review highlights: Balakrishna and Pragya Jaiswal's film is high on masala

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'Akhanda' Review: Routine Roars In High Volume

Movie: Akhanda Rating: 2.5/5 Banner: Dwaraka Creations Cast: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Pragya Jaiswal, Srikanth, Jagapathi Babu, Poorna, Kalakeya Prabhakar, Subbaraju and others Dialogues: M Rathnam Music: Thaman DoP: C Ram Prasad Editor: Kotagiri Venkateshwara Rao, Tammiraju Art: AS Prakash Producer: Miryala Ravinder Reddy Story, screenplay, and direction: Boyapati Sreenu Release Date: Dec 02, 2021

The combination of Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Boyapati Srinu is one of the most successful in the Telugu film industry. They have teamed up for the third time for this high intense action entertainer, Akhanda. Amidst much hype, the film hit theaters today. 

Has the duo delivered a hat-trick of success? Let’s find out.

Story: Muralikrishna (Balakrishna) is a good-natured man in Ananthapuram, who devotes his life to people and does a lot of development work in the region. 

Impressed by his character, the new collector Sarwani (Pragya Jaiswal) falls for him. They get married and are blessed with a girl.

Due to the local mining mafia leader Varadarajulu (Srikanth), Sarwani and Murali Krishna land in a trouble. When Sarwani and her daughter are chased by Varadarajulu’s men, she runs into a cave to hide. She is rescued by a Sadhu named Akhanda (Balakrishna). 

Who is Akhanda? What is the connection with Muralikrishna’s family?

Artistes’ Performances: Playing multiple roles is a cakewalk for Nandamuri Balakrishna. ‘Akhanda’ also shows two different shades of Balakrishna. He once again comes up with a riveting performance in the role of Akhanda. His getup is terrific. Some of his dialogues are powerful, others sounded routine. The entire second-half runs on Akhanda’s role.

Pragya Jaiswal is an IAS officer, but her character turns regular after a few scenes. She is hardly impressive. 

Srikanth, for the first time in his career, has played the villain’s role convincingly. Jagapathi Babu as a Sadhu leaves his mark. 

The actor who played the main villain is okay. So is Poorna.

Technical Excellence: M Ratnam has written dialogues that give mixed feelings. In Balakrishna's roaring voice, some sounded powerful. 

C Ram Prasad's camera work is top-notch. Thaman’s songs are not worth talking about, but the background score is a major strength. His high-decibel score has elevated many episodes in the second half. He has designed a special theme for the ‘Akhanda’ character. 

Major part of the film runs only on the action choreography. The fights look similar from beginning to the end. There is ample chance to design the fights in different styles and patterns. But that variety is not shown. 

On the other hand, the dance choreography is impressive and fresh. Some steps in Jai Balayya song are worth to become viral.

Highlights: Balakrishna as Akhanda Thaman’s background score Dialogues

Drawback: Passable first half Overdose of mass sequences Lengthy and tiring action stunts The logic goes for a toss Routine climax

Analysis After mass entertainers “Simha” and “Legend”, director Boyapati in his third teaming up with Balakrishna has written a story that touches upon issues like illegal mining, protection of the environment, Hindu Dharma, etc. The topics might be new in Boyapati’s film, but the treatment is familiar.

In fact, Boyapati has followed the template of the narrative he has shown in his previous works like “Legend”: the hero in a dual role, a character who does not appear in the first half comes right at the interval point and takes the charge. In ‘Legend’, it was the role of Jaidev, here it is ‘Akhanda’.

What is the other difference between “Legend” and “Akhanda”?

The former has a couple of killer songs like “Nee Kanti Choopulonaa” and “Legend He’s Legend”, an engaging romantic track with two heroines and a menacing villain played by Jagapathi Babu. The latest “Akhanda” lacks all these elements. 

There is a dialogue in the film: Once I decide on something, I meander like a bulldozer truck. True to the dialogue, director Boyapati Sreenu’s narrative goes on a rampage of one action scene after the other in the second half. The fights are lengthy and in a similar manner throughout. The pre-interval fight has a length of about 17 minutes.

Despite Balakrishna’s earnest and sincere effort to play an aging Sadhu, the film doesn’t escape the routine.

While Balakrishna tries playing to the gallery and appealing to his fans, the film is mostly unimaginative. The first character of Balayya doesn’t appear in the entire second half, except for a climax sequence

We never expect to see the logic in Boyapati’s movies. However, when we see the female protagonist as a collector, we expect her character to reflect some reality. What Pragya does as a collector is silly and unrealistic. Same goes for an NIA investigative officer.

In one of the fight sequences, Akhanda completes yagnam sitting calmly even with three axes stabbed in his back.

A few scenes, however, are exceptionally executed. Example: Akhanda – Poorna track, and Balakrishna explaining the true meaning of non-violence in Hinduism.

The film could have been gripping had the villain been strong. The face-off sequences between Balakrishna and Srikanth are tepid. Srikanth doesn’t have the menacing quality required for a villain. Nor is the main villain strong enough.

All in all, “Akhanda” is an out-and-out mass movie, which is embellished with some interesting moments here and there, but is largely formulaic and template of Boyapati’s movies. Dialogues and Balakrishna’s getup as Akhanda give goosebumps to his fans, but the lengthy fights, lack of entertaining moments, and disappointing climax make it a routine mass drama.  

Bottomline: Only for Balayya fanatics

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Jeevi rating: 3/5 Punchline : experience the AGHORA swag Genre: Action/Mass Type: Straight Banner : Dwaraka Creations Runtime: 168 minutes Release date : 2 December, 2021 Theatre watched: Screen 4, Prasads Multiplex, Hyderabad Cast : Nandamuri Balakrishna, Pragya Jaiswal, Srikanth, Jagapathi Babu, Avinash, Subbaraju, Shravan, Purna etc Music: Thaman Cinematography: C Ram Prasad Editing: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao & Thimmaraju Dialogues : M Rathnam Action : Stun Shiva & Ram Lakshman Production design : AS Prakash Story - screenplay - Direction: Boyapati Sreenu Producer: Miryala Ravinder Reddy

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Skanda Review

Skanda-The Attacker Movie: What's Behind

The collaboration between Boyapati Srinu and Ram raised expectations significantly, especially since Boyapati had previously delivered a resounding blockbuster with Balakrishna's Akhanda, while Ram, following the mass hysteria generated by iSmart Shankar, had faced challenges in recreating that same magic. Their much-anticipated project, titled Skanda, is set to hit theaters nationwide on September 28, 2023.

Skanda has garnered immense attention from movie enthusiasts, thanks to a combination of factors. Ram's remarkable transformation, Sree Leela's captivating on-screen presence, and the commercially charged teaser and trailer have all contributed to building excitement around the film.

Adding to the buzz, Disney+ Hotstar has acquired the OTT rights to Skanda for a substantial sum, ensuring that viewers can enjoy it on the streaming platform once its theatrical run concludes.

As we venture into the world of Skanda, we eagerly await the experiences and reactions of movie lovers, eager to see how this highly anticipated collaboration between Boyapati Srinu and Ram unfolds on the big screen.

Skanda (2023) Movie: Story Review

Skanda unfolds a gripping narrative that delves into the intricate dynamics between two families in a village, whose lives take a dramatic turn when influential politicians become entangled in their affairs. AP CM Rayudu (Ajay Purkar), and Telangana CM Ranjith Reddy (Sharath Lohithaswa), are not only thick friends but also powerful figures in the political landscape. However, their friendship sours as a result of a grave incident involving their children.

The story takes an unexpected and riveting twist when their daughters are tragically kidnapped by Bhaskar,( Ram Pothineni), hailing from Rudrajaupuram. The central mystery revolves around Bhaskar's motivations for this daring act and the hidden connections that tie him to various key individuals.

Unraveling the intricate web of relationships and motives, the plot introduces us to Bhaskar's parents, Manikanta Raju (Daggubati Raja) and Lakshmi ( Gauthami). Additionally, it delves into the world of Crown Technologies CEO Ramakrishna Raju ( Srikanth), his daughter Parineeta (Saiee Manjrekar), and his wife Bharathi ( Indraja). The story further explores the involvement of AP CM's nephew Chinnappa (Prabhakar), Telangana CM's brother Sanjay (Prince), and various other characters who play crucial roles in the unfolding drama.

As the narrative progresses, audiences are drawn deeper into the labyrinthine plot, unraveling the mysteries, motivations, and connections that drive the story of Skanda. With its intriguing premise and a talented ensemble cast, the film promises to be a captivating exploration of power, intrigue, and personal vendettas in the political landscape.

Skanda-The Attacker: Artists Review

Ram's commitment to shedding his loverboy image was evident long before Skanda came along. Following the success of iSmart Shankar,he yearned for another powerful mass entertainer, and the opportunity presented itself with Skanda, directed by Boyapati. Ram's dedication to his role was exemplary as he left no stone unturned in his transformation. From gaining weight to completely altering his appearance with a thick beard and adopting a Telangana accent for his dialogues, he went above and beyond to do justice to his character.

Moreover, he embarked on intense training to master high-octane stunts, wielding unique weapons specially designed by Boyapati, further cementing his commitment to the role.

In Skanda, Ram showcased his versatility by delivering compelling expressions and emotions, and his body language was particularly noteworthy. Whether portraying heartfelt scenes with his family members or sharing romantic moments with the charming Sree Leela, he demonstrated a remarkable range as an actor.

Speaking of Sree Leela, despite Boyapati's deliberate attempt to downplay her beauty, she exuded a captivating charm on screen. The chemistry between Ram and Sree Leela was palpable and added to the film's appeal, especially in their high-energy dance sequences that left viewers enthralled.

Saiee Manjrekar, daughter of Mahesh Manjrekar, displayed her talent despite having a limited role. Her performance was satisfactory, although she could have been given more screen time. Srikanth portrayed the role of a troublesome CEO of a software company decently, adding depth to the narrative.

Ajay Purkar and Sharath Lohithaswa delivered commendable performances as the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, respectively. Prince Cecil, in his limited role as the brother of the Telangana CM, and Prabhakar also made their presence felt.

Prithviraj, in the role of an advisor to the CMs, played his part effectively, contributing to the film's overall intrigue. Daggubati Raja left a lasting impression with his powerful dialogues as Ram's father, while Gauthami and Indraja portrayed their respective roles as Ram's mother and Srikanth's wife with skill and conviction. Bollywood Bombshell, Urvashi Rautela sparkled in a special song Cult Mama to give sleepless nights to movie lovers.

Skanda was a testament to the talent and dedication of its ensemble cast, with each member contributing to the film's narrative in their own unique way.

Skanda Movie: Technicians Review

Skanda,a story crafted by Boyapati Srinu, is emblematic of his signature style, which moviegoers have come to expect. Boyapati has a knack for taking his heroes through a rollercoaster of challenges, and in his narratives, the hero always emerges unscathed. His storytelling often leans towards mass elevations, sometimes bordering on the extravagant. While this approach may suit stars like Balakrishna, it can appear somewhat unrealistic for other actors. It appears that Boyapati took note of this after the reception of Ram Charan's "Vinaya Vidheya Rama" and made slight adjustments for Ram in Skanda.

Nonetheless, Boyapati skillfully leveraged his talents to elevate Ram's mass heroism to the maximum in Skanda. The story, while bearing resemblance to his previous works and other commercial entertainers, commences with an intense narrative, involving both the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and the escalating rivalry between them. Ram's introduction is marked by a massy entry, followed by a couple of romantic scenes before a surprising twist unfolds just before the interval. Boyapati's trademark intense interval block leaves the audience in awe, prompting them to wonder if such high-octane moments are necessary at this point in the film.

However, Boyapati remains Boyapati, unapologetic in his cinematic approach. When he wields the directorial microphone, concepts like physics, chemistry, and other scientific principles take a backseat. The story delves into a flashback mode, where Boyapati skillfully manipulates typical family emotions, albeit at a slightly slower pace. But once the flashback arc concludes, the pre-climax and climax are marked by intense confrontations, with daggers drawn and bloodshed aplenty.

Boyapati employs a conventional story with dialogue that may come across as repetitive but resonates with mass audiences. His dialogues often carry a political undertone, allowing viewers to draw parallels with real-life politicians and industrialists. He adheres to a familiar template in his screenplay and direction, a style that has previously yielded blockbuster results.

Thaman, known for his terrific background music and foot-tapping tunes, falls short of expectations in Skanda. While his BGM for Akhanda received rave reviews, this time, it disappoints. None of the songs leave a lasting impression, although Nee Chuttu and Gandara Bhai are notable for their choreography. In Nee Chuttu, Ram's dance moves are unique, while Gandara Bhai features an electrifying performance by both Ram and Sree Leela. However, Thaman's background music in the film is average at best and occasionally too loud, failing to effectively enhance the scenes.

The editing by Thammiraju is acceptable, though some scenes could have been trimmed to maintain the film's pacing. The production values by Srinivasaa Silver Screen are grand, adding to the film's overall visual appeal.

In conclusion, Skanda follows the tried-and-tested Boyapati Srinu formula, with its familiar storytelling and signature style. While it may not break new ground, it aims to cater to the tastes of mass audiences, providing them with the intense action and dramatic confrontations they have come to expect from a Boyapati-directed film.

Skanda: Advantages

• Ram's makeover
• Sree Leela's dances
• Action Sequences
• Few Dialogues

Skanda: Disadvantages

• Monotonous Mass Elevations
• Predictable Plot

Skanda Movie: Rating Analysis

In its entirety, Skanda - The Attacker delivers a solid dose of mass entertainment for movie enthusiasts. Boyapati adheres to his tried-and-true formula, and with the vibrant energy of Ram, Sree Leela's captivating dance sequences, and a handful of impactful dialogues addressing the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he successfully grabs the attention of the audience.

Skanda is packed with all the essential commercial elements, and Boyapati's competent screenplay and direction ensure that it caters to the preferences of mass audiences. He even surprises the viewers with a promising lead into a potential sequel during the climactic moments.

This film is undoubtedly designed to provide an engaging cinematic experience for fans of mass entertainment. Considering all these factors, Cinejosh assigns a rating of 2.5 to Skanda .

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