Babu Bangaram - Movie Review

Friday, August 12, 2016 - 14:45
Babu Bangaram (2016)
Cast & Crew: 

Film: Babu Bangaram
Cast: Venkatesh, Nayanathara, Savukaru Janaki, Brahmanandam, Posani Krishna Murali, Prudhvi, Jayaprkash, Sampath, Raghubabu, Brahmaji, Murali Sharma, Vennela Kishore, Munna Venu, Giridhar, Ananth, Raja Ravindra, Gundu Sudarshan, Rajitha
Dialogues: Darling Swamy
Music: Ghibran
Art: Ramana Vanka
Cinematography: Richard Prasad
Editor: Uddhav S B
Dance: Brinda, Sekhar
Fights: Ram - Laxman, Ravi Varma
Presents: S Radha Krishna
Banner: Sithara Entertainments
Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi, PDV Prasad
Story, screenplay and directed by: Maruthi
Release date: August 12, 2016
CBFC Rating: UA
Runtime: 150 Min

What's it about!

A simple storyline which we have witnessed before. ACP Krishna (Venkatesh) is on the look out for a noted criminal Sastry (Jayaprakash). The latter’s daughter is the beautiful Sailaja (Nayanatara). ACP falls in love with Sailaja but he doesn't reveal to her that he is a police officer. Everything is fine. But ACP who is truly in love with Sailaja now has a hidden motive as well - catching Sastry. When Sailaja comes to know that he has developed bonding with her to know whereabouts of her father, hell breaks loose and she breaks him up with. What is the backstory of Sastry? And how ACP reunites with Sailaja?
 
Analysis
 
From directing youthful dramas with newcomers, director Maruthi has graduated to making movies with stars. He successfully proved his mettle with Nani starrer ‘Bhale Bhale Magadivoy’ last year. And ‘Babu Bangaram’ with Venkatesh in the lead role is his first movie with a truly big star. Venkatesh with a 30 years of career has done many entertaining movies and he is known to have best comic timing. In 'Babu Bangaram', director Maruthi has concentrated on the histrionics that Venky used in his earlier movies like 'Bobbili Raja' and 'Gharshana'.
 
The story written by Maruthi and Darling Swamy is as old as 'Nirnayam' (1991) was. While Nirnayam focused on a beautiful romantic track between Amala and Nagarjuna, in 'Babu Bangaram' the focus is on comedy and Venkatesh. Venkatesh styles, different histrionics and his lengthy comedy episode with Prudhvi are main stay in the first half. Till the interval the movie makes a good time pass.
 
Post interval, it runs into predictable mold, the flimsy storyline takes a back seat and we get to see the trivial issue of Posani's video in which his affair with a lady is recorded. This game of Posani doing anything to have the video is stretched beyond a point. And suddenly hero who is shown as on a mission to nab Nayanathara's father turns playing games with Posani, a joker like MLA. This has diluted the story. Also the introduction of Brahmanandam, and making Posani a bakra etc are quite mediocre.
 
Overall, the first half of the movie is its asset with its comedy. But the second half lacks entertainment.
 
Venkatesh who was recently seen playing roles that are closer to his age has done young ACP character in this movie and he has pulled it off with ease. He is still at ease doing the characters that he did in ‘Gharshana’ - characters that requires to blend action and romance. Additionally, he has cracked jokes. On Venkatesh shoulders the film moves on and the experienced actor has effortlessly performed it. Nayanathara has looked so beautiful but her role is not written well. She doesn’t  have scenes that is worth talking of though the film is centered around her.
 
Prudhvi in the first half and post interval Posani have come up with good comedy track. Prudhvi's total episode as Battayi (Orange) trader is hilarious. Vennela Kishore and Brahmaji are totally wasted. Sampath who plays the role of a villain and Shavukaru Janaki have shown their mark. Murali Shama is seen in inconsequential role. Jayaprakash's getup is bad and his acting is quite routine.
 
The film has rich cinematography by Richard Prasad. Darling Swamy’s dialogues are decent. Music by Gibran is okay. Of the songs, "Mallela Vaana" and "Babu Bangaram" are the best. Runtime of the movie is a bit lengthy but overall editing work is neat.
 
Director Maruthi has passed muster in dealing with comedy but he has not succeeded much in telling an effective storyline. His core strength is telling a movie entertainingly and he has shown his mark in the first half. But he has tried to play to the gallery and failed at that.

Production values by Sithara Entertainments are quite good.
 
Bottom-line: 'Babu Bangaram' completely relies on Venkatesh's dramatics and the comedy by Prudhvi. Both these aspects are positive but the movie turns too predictable after the interval. At best, it is a timepass template movie.

Rating: 
3/5