312. Acharya; movie review

 

ACHARYA

Cert 12A

180 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, bloody images

You've got to hand it to Chiranjeevi - at 67 years old, he looks ruddy amazing.

And, thankfully, he doesn't make the mistake of many Indian movie stars and play characters who are far younger than him.

So, Acharya doesn't have him involved in age-inappropriate romances or actors younger than him playing his parents.

Indeed, the only eyebrow-raising element in Koratala Siva's movie is how many villains he is able to polish off single-handedly.

Chiranjeevi plays the title character - a classic hero who arrives, Clint Eastwood-esque, to defeat the bad guys who are persecuting hard-working, God-fearing locals.

Nobody can work out what is in it for him but he is as tough as nails in the face of adversity and gentle as a kitten to those who are on the side of good.

The town and village he sets out to protect are the sites of the appearance of a Goddess centuries before.

Since then, they have effectively become shrines to her and devotees pledge to lead righteous lives.

However, all the good work and mutual respect for citizens fall into the background when a murderous villain (Sonu Sood) takes charge of the local municipality.

He has also promised to clear inhabitants from the nearby holy forest so a corrupt businessman (Jisshu Sengupta) can take it over for mining.

Enter Chirnajeevi's Acharya who appears in the guise of a humble carpenter and leads the fight against the corrupt.

He does this in the name of a fellow soldier (Ram Charan) from the area with whom he has fought many battles.

Acharya looks good - its sets are impressive and the sweeps over the forest create a spine-tingling atmosphere.

But it is really all about Chiranjeevi and the character who is almost too good to be true.

Nevertheless, we were cheering him on all the way.

Reasons to watch: Chiranjeevi rolling back the years

Reasons to avoid: Overly melodramatic

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The stage name, Chiranjeevi, which means ‘immortal’, was suggested by his mother. It is a direct reference to the Hindu God, Lord Hanuman, who is immortal. 

The final word. Ram Charan: " It’s a great pleasure working with my father. Chiranjeevi is a legendary actor. He used to be on the sets even before my arrival (laughs). He also allowed me to do mistakes to learn from them. He used to correct and guide me while shooting for Acharya." 123Telugu

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