Meda Meeda Abbayi - Movie Review

Allari Naresh's ‘Meda Meedha Abbayi', a remake of Malayalam movie ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie’, has hit the screens on Sept 8.  Let's see what works and what doesn't work.

Story:
Srinu (Allari Naresh) is a pro at failure, having flunked in 24 B.Tech subjects. His father (Jayaprakash) and mother (Thulasi) are preparing to dedicate him to their 'kirana shop'. But our hero has big dreams. He wants to become a director, working only under Rajamouli, no less. After losing all hopes of every completing B.Tech, he runs away to Hyderabad, only to realize that having one's luck in the film industry is terribly difficult. 

When he comes back after a 6-day stint in Hyderabad, his parents and neighbors (heroine Nikhila Vimal's parents) are up against him.  His crush Sindhu (Nikhila) is missing. And there is a belief that Srinu eloped with her to Hyderabad. Unable to convince them of his innocence, Srinu cons them and secretly rushes to Hyderabad to trace Sindhu. Why did Sindhu walk out of her house? How does Srinu find her out (in company with his friend, Hyper Adhi, and a private detective, played by Avasarala Srinivas)? Will he ever be able to steer clear of abduction 'nindha'? That forms the rest of the story.

What works:

The film is not essentially comedy movie but it has some good laughs thanks to Hyper Aadhi (popular for his stint in TV program Jabardasth). Allari Naresh tries to make a short film with Hyper Aadhi in his village. This episode has lot of entertainment. The second half is focused on suspense and the suspense fact holds the audience's interest to some extent. Sindhu's state of mind keeps us puzzling. And when she reveals what she is up for, we root for her as well as the sorry situation that Srinu is also in. The twist is good too.

What doesn't work:

The basic story line itself has many loose ends. The story, indeed, is off the mark. The film begins as a comedy and then ends as a thriller. The heroine’s reason for falling for Hari Narayana is not at all convincing. 'Ladies & Gentleman' (2015) had touched upon a similar theme, but it was gripping in the second half. The lack of a romantic track adds to the woes. There is no emotional connect between the lead pair.  G Prajith, the Mollywood director, is completely out of touch with the Telugu nativity. Nivin Pauly's (who did the original, 'Oru Vadakkan Selfie') seriousness doesn't just match Naresh in the second half. Naresh is known more for his verbose 'comic punches'. You will miss all of that in the second half.  

Performances:
Allari Naresh's attempt at giving the right mix of comedy and seriousness works to a limited extent. Hyper Adhi overtakes him at one point, his comedy dialogues are hilarious. Nikhila Vimal is okay but she hardly appears in the film. Avasara Srinivas is ordinary.  The music (Shan Rehman) is nothing home to write about. The cinematography is a passable fare.

Bottom-line: The title ‘Meda Meeda Abbayi’ itself is a forced one as it hardly depicts the theme or story. The movie that is based on Malayalm hit ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie’ has faulty story and the screenplay is hardly tight in the second half. But it offers some good laughs here and there.