52. Guntur Kaaram; movie review

 

GUNTUR KARAAM

Cert 12A

157 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat, injury detail, suicide references

Bravo to Mahesh Babu - he is a rare Indian actor who can play a character who is 20 years younger and not seem ridiculous.

For years, I have banged on about the likes of Mohan Lal and Salman Khan looking out of place in age-inappropriate roles.

However, 48-year-old Babu has maintained his boyish good looks and doesn't resemble a middle-aged dad when dancing.

Thus, he was suitable for the lead in Trivikram Srinivas's Guntur Karaam.

I digress - even before I have begun!

A running theme among Indian movies is how long it takes them to kick into gear.

This is undoubtedly the case with this film, which labours after an explosive start and only grabs again well into its second hour.

Babu stars as Ramana, a tough guy from a quarter specialising in the chilli industry - hence the double-edged title - the spice of Guntur.

Twenty-five years previously, he was abandoned by his mother (Ramya Krishna) before she went on to be Justice Minister at the behest of his powerful grandfather (Prakash Raj).

They now want him to sign a document to say that he was never part of the family in the first place to avoid any potential scandal.

He only accepts if a critical condition is met.

On the plus side, Babu is a charismatic lead and the movie includes some epic set-piece song-and-dance numbers with lithe contributions by Sreeleela as the hero's love interest.

However, Raj is a dismally stereotypical politician, while Murali Sharma and Vennela Kishore are little more than comedy stooges.

But I can't mark it higher than 5/10 because a storyline is so thin that it could barely have been stretched to 45 minutes rather than two and a half hours.

Its final scenes are also very corny.

Reasons to watch: One for Mahesh Babu fans

Reasons to avoid: Very thin storyline

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? According to the Times Of India, Mahesh Babu's diet which keeps him so fit is: breakfast; mush which is a dish made of oats, eggs, fruits, and nuts. Lunch; any source of meat with brown rice or quinoa. Dinner; carbs and proteins with brown or whole wheat bread with eggs and chicken.

The final word. Mahesh Babu, "I'm not sure when I'll have another opportunity to groove to the beats of typical Tollywood masala songs. It might be a few years before I take on a regular commercial Telugu movie again. So, we aimed to make the most of this chance." Tupaki

Share this post