Purushothamudu Movie Review

Just at a time when people have been talking about Raj Tarun’s upcoming film Tiragabhadara Swami and the controversies surrounding his personal life, it looks like the trailer of Purushothamudu came out of nowhere. The first thing that catches your eye when you see the film’s promotional material is the presence of big actors like Ramya Krishnan, Prakash Raj and Brahmanandam, who don’t appear in a lot of films these days. There are also huge names like cinematographer PG Vinda, editor Marthand K Venkatesh & music composer Gopi Sundar attached to the project, adding further to its overall intrigue.

What is it about?

Rachit Ram (Raj Tarun) is the son of a huge industrialist (Parsuram), who is returning to India after studying abroad for years.

According to the rules set by Ram’s grandfather, the company’s founder, any heir wishing to take over the company is expected to fulfill a daunting challenge. He is expected to go to the middle of nowhere with absolutely no money or even shoes and live like a commoner for 100 days. In these 100 days, he is expected to fend for himself without using any of his privileges or money.

Rachit Ram sets off on his journey with nothing but the clothes on his back, while his aunt (Ramya Krishnan) and cousin brother (Viran Muttamsetty) conspire together to make him fail his challenge.

Performances

Raj Tarun plays the role of a wise yet strong man determined to succeed at his challenge. While he is sincere, his boyish looks take away the believability of the character. There is definitely a mismatch between the character on paper and the character on screen due to the casting.

Raj’s chemistry with newcomer Hassini Sudhir (who looks a lot like Malayalam actress Honey Rose) is practically absent. Their love story is passably engaging due to the writing, which thankfully makes sure the time spent on their love story has some meaning and value to the larger story.

Praveen plays the role of the heroine’s co-worker and friend with ease & command. Ramya Krishnan and Prakash Raj make their impact felt in their extended cameos, though Prakash Raj could have been replaced with a younger actor in his flashback portions.

Brahmaji plays a blink-and-miss role with his trademark antics. Brahmanandam is sadly wasted in yet another cameo.

Technicalities

Purushothamudu has many songs. The lyrics have a lot of meaning and depth, but the composition is very flat and unmemorable.

The cinematography by PG Vinda has every frame lit & coloured brightly. It is almost too bright, to the point where we feel like we are watching a TV serial. The supporting actors’ are equally high pitched with their melodramatic performances.

Thumbs up:

Writing

Thumbs down:

Songs

Melodrama

Raj Tarun & Hassini chemistry

Analysis:

The film’s writing is the only saving grace here. The screenplay is properly structured, with good payoffs and foreshadowing.

The first half of Purushothamudu has few comedy scenes with Hassini’s and Praveen’s character, which keep the story light & breezy. The second half enters a serious territory, where pertinent social issues like farmer suicides and middlemen exploitation is explored.

For the most part, Purushothamudu has the template of post-Srimanthudu Mahesh Babu films. But elements of mythology, be it the Ramayana or the Bhagavad Gita, are integrated into the story, giving it a lot of depth and sincerity.

Purushothamudu is not innovative or mindblowing, and have out-of-sync scenes here and there. As long as you are fine with the film’s limited scope and touches of old-school melodrama, Purushottamudu offers a satisfactory viewing experience.

Verdict: Not A Purushothamudu

Rating: 2/5