Suryakantam - Movie Review

Friday, March 29, 2019 - 12:00
Suryakantam (2019)
Cast & Crew: 

Film: Suryakantam
Cast: Rahul Vijay, Niharika Konidela, Perlene Bhesania, Shivaji Raja and others
Music: Mark K Robin 
Cinematography: Hari Jasthi 
Editor: Raviteja Girijala 
Art director: Avinash Kolla
Lyrics: Krishna Kanth 
Producers: Sundeep Yerramreddy, Srujan Yarabolu and Ram Naresh
Written and Directed by: Pranith Bramandapally
Release date: Mar 29, 2019
CBFC Rating: U

What’s it about?
On the day of Pelli Choopulu, Abhi (Rahul Vijay) tells the girl Pooja (Perlene) about a girl whom he loved. She is Suryakantam (Niharika), an eccentric girl who constantly goes missing for days and appears out of the blue. He likes her a lot. When he thinks that she has started liking him, she suddenly is not seen anywhere. Months pass. He thinks that she has left for him good and agrees to marry Pooja. When he gears up to begin a new life with this new girl, Suryakantam comes back to his life leading it to chaos.

Analysis
‘Suryakantam’ is directed by newcomer Pranith Brahmandapally who earlier directed the web series ‘Muddapappu Avakai’ starring Niharika. In his debut movie, the director has employed same web series comedy sequences to narrate this clichéd storyline. Barring the Niharika’s ‘Gone Girl’ act, there is nothing new in this story of a boy caught between two girls.

Right from the opening sequence between a pantulu and Shivaji Raja, the so-called jokes are outdated. While Shivaji Raja is reading a newspaper, the pantulu asks, ‘are you reading newspaper?’ and pat comes the reply, “no, I am selling vegetables”. Such is the clichéd jokes galore we see in this so-called new-age rom-com.

Suryakantam has commitment phobia due to her broken family. Generally, we see this trait in the male protagonist, here the gender is reversed. But the director has failed to tell it engagingly and entertainingly. Though the second half is fairly better than the boring first half, the movie on whole tests patience.

Rahul Vijay as a guy with a confused mind is decent. His characterization is dumb though. Niharika as Suryakantam is hardly impressive, she barely passes muster. Perlene Bhesania as Pooja is the typical other girl.

Technically the film is just okay. Music is pleasant though. Editing is passive.

Bottom-line: ‘Suryakantam’, the rom-com, tests patience with its unoriginal setup and dreary narration. 

There is dialogue in the film which is “Ee idealu neeku tallo nunchi vastaya, nee talloni pellonunchi vastayi”. It means “Do you get these ideas from your brain or from the lice in your head?” This line is apt for many scenes in the film as well. What a bore!

Reviewed by: 
J Gudelli
Rating: 
1.75/5