Paisa Vasool - Movie Review

What's it about?

Theda Singh (Balakrishna) comes to Hyderabad from an unknown place. His daring act and impudence attracts police officers who are seeking a neech kaminey on hire to kill a mafia don called Bob Marley (Vikramjeeth). While the police have recruited him for an operation, he flirts with Harika (Muskkan), who came for police help asking them to find her sister’s whereabouts. Her sister who went for a work in Portugal is missing. In a sudden twist Harika comes to know that her sister has been killed and the killer is none other than Theda Singh. Who actually is this Theda Singh, what is his link to Portugal?
 
Analysis
 
'Paisa Vasool' doesn’t waste time in introducing the hero who has theda (irreverence) characterization. This guy sings songs in clubs, beats anyone, gives his heart to a beautiful girl… all the while punching dialogues and drinking happily. It is a right hook to hold the interest as anyone can easily guess that theda's façade is not real, he is acting on a purpose to reveal it in the later portion of the story. This is a familiar set up in many mass movies including Puri's own creation 'Pokiri'.
 
Unlike 'Pokiri', this goes on completely clichéd format and takes too much time to get to the real point. By the time it reaches to the interval with Muskaan doing similar act that Bhumika did in 'Simhadri', we know how it is going to end. More than the predicable storyline, the dull drive and loudness of happenings puts off. Hardly sensible matter is there.
 
Of late, Director Puri Jagannadh has developed a fascination towards placing crux of his story in some exotic foreign country/place. Earlier it was Bangkok, later it was Barcelona. Now, he has shifted focus to Portugal. The second half of the story is placed in Portugal.
 
The characterization of Theda Singh is interesting and has best suited for the body language of Balakrishna. Puri Jagannadh, who earned name for writing and designing terrific characterizations for lead stars, has once again projected Balakrishna in rather different style even though the character ark is no different from Puri's earlier protagonists. The villain Vikramjeeth and Srikanth, the minister, are weak link to this whole flimsy drama.
 
Most part of 'Paisa Vasool' reminds us of old K S R Das's movies where heroine searches for her missing brother/sister, hero comes to a place with a different name. Those films had essential club songs. 'Paisa Vasool' has all these. In a more silly manner, even a high ranking police officer also appears as item girl (Kyra Dutt) to attract this hero to bring him on for a mission.
 
Nandamuri Balakrishna sleepwalks into this role and his acting is colorful as he mouthed full of punch dialogues, danced with three girls, beaten the villains to the pulp. There is a dialogue in the film where Balakrishna says, “Ramakrishna theater sandullo perigina vanni…manadi nela ticket batch” (I’m raised in the streets of Ramakrishna theater, I belong to frontbencher audiences). True to the protagonist’s philosophy, the songs, the scenes and the story drive is all packaged in a way to attract the target audiences. He also crooned a song ‘Mama Ek Peg La’ that is paisa vasool for his fans.
 
Shriya as BBC journalist is dignified and has better role among the three female lead actors. Newcomer Muskaan Sethi has good looks but her role is typical of glam gal that hardly has any scope to exhibit acting skills. Vikramjeet Virk as the main villain is good. Kabir Bedi is okay. Ali and Prudhvi are wasted totally.

Anup's music is catchy. "Mama Ek Peg La", "Goli Soda", and "Kannu Kannu Kalise"  are pick of the album. Cinematography is neat and locales of Portugal are well-captured. Most part of the movie is shot in Portugal. The film has rich production values too. Dialogues are its mainstay. As writer and director Puri Jagannadh has been dishing out these kind of movies that have limited appeal.
 
Bottom-line: 'Paisa Vasool', that has resemblance to Puri's earlier hit 'Pokiri', is predictable in most parts. It is strictly for Balayya's fans who like to see him mouthing dialogues in some quirky style.