Babu Bangaram Review

Babu Bangaram Review, What’s Behind: Post ‘Gopala Gopala,’ it has been quite a while Victory Venkatesh went off the radar. After missing the first chance, director Maruthi finally bagged the best opportunity of working with Venkatesh and Nayanathara is the heroine. We go forward into later review portion without wasting much time.

Babu Bangaram Story: ACP Krishna (Venkatesh) is a man symbolized for ‘Manchi Thanam’ and ‘Jaali’ inherited from grandfather. Krishna falls in love with Sailaja (Nayanathara), who has similar traits as our hero. However, Sailaja is fixed in a dangerous situation as her father Shastri (Jayaprakash) is on a run escaping from police for an alleged murder. This murder is connected to local MLA Pichchaiah (Posani) and rowdy sheet Mallesh (Sampath Raj). How Krishna saves Sailaja family and punishes the culprits is rest.

Babu Bangaram Artists and Technicians: Maruthi never picks up dense storylines. He makes the narration entertaining and thick with treatment and screenplay. This time Maruthi clearly appeared struggling with mal-nutritious plot and undersupplied hilarity. Except hero characterization and couple of laugh-out-louder funny scenes, Maruthi wasn’t free flowing like his past films. Screenplay is harshly predictable. Direction wise, Maruthi showed his natural spark exploiting the safe star image Venkatesh enjoys in market. Penning a hero role with two contrasting shades blended in humor is what spares the movie. Rest of the directional proceeding wasn’t captivating. Darling Swamy’s inputs into writing department proved to be really not so helpful. Richard Prasad cinematography was delightful to an extent and goes ill-matched in many portions. Udhdhav’s sharp editing could have saved the second half. Ghibran’s musical score was above average with many melodies. First song was neatly composed and RR wise, he just re-hashed ‘Bobbili Raja’ song and ‘Jil’ themes. Stunt designing from Ram-Laxman is classic Tollywood model with gravity defying jumps and falls. Production values from Naga Vamsi, PDV Prasad and China Babu are righteous.

Watching Venkatesh on screen after a long gap makes his Fans go merry. ACP Krishna had all the funny mannerisms and trademark movements which we expect. Nevertheless, a hero alone cannot drag the full length show with missing support from heroine. Yes, Nayanathara appeared life-less and insincere towards character. In fact, she became too old to romance our heroes. Bright, quick-witted and beaming Venkatesh dominated bland, half hearted and ineffectual Nayanathara in most of the episodes. All in all, the chemistry needed for romantic track distracted.  Prudhvi as Battayikayala Babji’s Nannaku Prematho spoof is best part in whole film. Brahmanandam disappointed. Posani engaged the second half. Sampath Raj introduced as cruel villain later becomes instable. Shaukar Janaki, Rajitha, Jaya Prakash Reddy were just ok. Vennela Kishore, Brahmaji and other artists in Venky police team were also average. Chammak Chandra’s Daggubati Venkatesh song is meant for Fans. Fish Venkat and rest of the comedians did well.

Babu Bangaram Rating Analysis: Director Maruthi prepared a script clearly determined to capitalize only on Venkatesh’s star image. This made story to go stagnant as we move nowhere at aggressive pace during the narrative. Too many buildup shots for hero, villains waste most of the time. Too much of traversing on hero’s sensitivity factor becomes insensitive after a point. Comedy which is Maruthi’s strength many a times wasn’t really competitive in this film, except a hilariously written ‘Nannaku Prematho’ spoof.  ACP Krishna’s investigation of heroine Nayan and her father showed strong resemblances with Nagarjuna ‘Nirnayam’ although drama element within Nayan’s family having three sisters, grandmother and aunty is a regular Telugu commercial cinema setup. Maruthi ran most of the movie chronicling between Venky and Nayan family. 

First half takes off on a languid note establishing the hero characterization at length. By the time, we engross with hero thus comes heroine, her family inaugurating the actual conflict. Maruthi’s screenplay hides hero’s actual identity till the interval block. Interim Venkatesh-Nayanthara romance, initiating the villain tracks combined with Prudhvi comedy wraps first half on a decent note.

Second half, the problem magnified when story is hollow and callous. Maruthi dragged the business beyond elastic limit forcibly filling more with jokes, sketches on Posani, Sampath Raj. In this process, Maruthi completely forgot missing the logics going wayward in execution. Extreme cinematic liberties are taken so liberally during these portions. Entry of Brahmi further deteriorates. Pre climax and climax lift audience from depression with untypically designed climax on ‘Balapam Patti’ background theme. 

All in all, ‘Babu Bangaram’ isn’t completely a Maruthi mark film. He mended the ways for directing a star hero. Riveting second half and more hilarity in first half could have taken the film to altogether a new level. Cinejosh rates BB with 2.5 stars for Venkatesh Babu. Commercially, the movie might open on stupendous scale taking into consideration the vacuum at Box Office. Overall result depends on how metros, A class receive the film because it can be a safe bet in B, C centres.Babu Bangaram Cinejosh Verdict: Ayyo… Ayyo… Ayyayyo

                                        Babu Bangaram Cinejosh Rating: 2.5/5.0

                                                                                           Reviewed by Srivaas