Dictator Review

Dictator Review, What’s Behind: Nandamuri Balakrishna is familiar to win Sankranthi trophy every time he steps in with a film in this season. Teamed with director Sriwass and big production house of EROS, there is a good reason for Fans to wait and the film has released today amidst moderate expectations. More important is, ‘Dictator’ is 99th from Balayya. Let us get inside the actual ‘Dictator’ review to know more.

Dictator Story: Chandu G (Balakrishna) is a straight forward low profile person working in Dharma Super Market living in his in-laws house (Naazar and others). In comes Indu (Sonal Chauhan), struggling artist in cinema industry into his life living in the same colony. An issue of Indu’s brother (Rajiv Kanakala) connected to a murder case and a burglary case in Super Market leads to Chandu’s arrest as TV channels report this as breaking news. Biggest powers in New Delhi are shaken seeing Chandu on TV and thus it’s time for a flashback to unveil. Chandu aka Chandrasekhar Dharma is Head of multi billionaire turnover Dharma Group Of Companies. How Chandrasekhar Dharma comes into conflict with political kingmaker Mahima Roy (Rathi Agnihotri) family in New Delhi? How Chandrasekhar Dharma’s family and wife Katyayani (Anjali) are networked into whole flashback? How Chandrasekhar Dharma puts a full stop to Mahima Roy is rest.

Dictator Artists and Technicians: On to the story, Sriwass adopted a safe approach choosing a well popularized story and a screenplay holding Tollywood forte from 1990s. Running the whole screenplay perfectly hero centric is what Balayya Fans expect as big lot of goons in present and flashback episodes made sure that director Sriwass is delivering with power. Though this is a beaten track, Balakrishna’s magnanimous presence made game different and Kona team, Sriwass never shied to stand steady on this regular track. At a time when Kona, Gopi Mohan are severely criticized for their substandard screenplays, they followed same here too. Agreed of ‘Dictator’ heavily inspired from Balayya’s own ‘Samara Simha Reddy, Narasimha Naidu’ or others ‘Baasha, Indra’ etc, there might be a reason for production team to remain within a foolproof clichéd territory without getting exposed to unlikely experimentation. On to dialogues, Sreedhar Seepana exploited in those zones where Balayya is best known for. Three to four episodes will make roofs go high as Balakrishna roars. Music by SS Thaman is just average for songs and Chinna repeatedly used his age-old BGM tracks. Shyam K Naidu’s camera work was quite inconsistent and so were the hurried editing standards visible in Gautham Raju’s work. Onto production values, EROS and Vedaashwa made the film look lavish and spilling in grandeur.

Time for performances and Balakrishna is adored in the past for these sorts of commanding characterizations. He looked stylish in two different getups. Balayya really owned first half which came out extremely well. Into second half, his role as Businessman was obscure and whole setup created in New Delhi was hard to believe and connect. Anjali does justice in a brief love track. Sonal Chauhan is though limited yet she added content to first half. Aksha is also a piece. Rathi Agnihotri as lady villain is an outright failure and so is her son-in-law artist. Naazar, Giri, Posani, Suman, Sayaji Shinde and others were ok. Comedy batch of Shakalaka Shankar, Hema, Prudhvi were wasted. Villains Kabeer Duan Singh and Vikram Jeet Virk were stylish and not atrocious. Rest again may not need a big mention.

Dictator Rating Analysis: Taking off with an effective start introducing Balakrishna as simple Super Market employee, the row of scenes surrounding Sonal Chauhan, Rajeev Kanakala, Vikram Jeet Virk have been interestingly dealt. The pub action episode, lecture on cinema industry, burglary in super market and Suman, Posani rushing from Delhi leading to interval lifted the first half to a very positive verdict.    

The basic drawback lied in second half when Balakrishna’s flashback begins to reveal. Though Balayya introduction is upright dominating with lavish chopper shots, the spinning mill sub thread attached to Rathi Agnihotri family and inadvertently all these leading to hero separating from family for a popularly used reason went pale and unproductive. Love track between Balakrishna, Anjali is largely inspired from Ghajini yet manageable. Whatsoever, Balayya fitness and styling also went down in standards in weak second half. Then pre climax and climax are organized according to a routine.

On to final judgment, ‘Dictator’ can be a feast for mass Nandamuri Balakrishna Fans in B, C centers while for class public, this cannot be a striking fare. Commercially, ‘Dictator’ might most probably stand as highest grosser among so far Pongal releases in domestic circuit which makes it eligible to go for 2.75 stars rating. Thanks to Balayya Fan frenzy.

Dictator Cinejosh Verdict: Restricted To Nandamuri Masses.

                                                              Dictator Cinejosh Rating: 2.75/5.0

                                                                                            Reviewed by Srivaas