Allari Naresh, known for his comedy films in recent years, has been transitioning to more serious roles, changing his genre. After a long time, he is returning to entertain movie lovers with the film Aa Okkati Adakku. The film's title has excited many, as it is named after the yesteryear classic Aa Okkati Adakku, directed by Allari Naresh's father, EVV Satyanarayana. Naresh planned to pay tribute to his father with this upcoming film. It'll be interesting to see whether Aa Okkati Adakku does indeed pay a fitting tribute to the classic and to EVV Satyanarayana's legacy.
AA Okkati Adakku story is all about a person whose marriage gets delayed and how he faces the society, friends and family members as his age gets increased and where his desire to get married leads him to and the twists involved in his journey in his pursuit to get married.
Ghana (Allari Naresh), a government employee at the Marriage Registrar Office, whose marriage is delayed. As he faces societal pressure, scrutiny from friends, and concern from family members as he ages, Ghana becomes increasingly desperate to get married. The film explores his journey and the twists that unfold as he pursues his desire to find a life partner.
Ghana's interactions with his family, including his mother, brother, sister-in-law, and niece, as well as his encounters with Siddhi (Fiara Abdullah), a beautiful girl, and Police Officer Surya Nayak (Ajay), are integral to the narrative. These characters are connected in various ways, adding depth and intrigue to Ghana's quest for marriage.
Allari Naresh delivers a convincing performance, showcasing his trademark energy, antics, and mannerisms. While he shines in his role, it's noted that the character doesn't offer anything new for him, giving a sense that he merely went through the motions.
Fiara Abdullah portrays her role well, doing justice to her character. However, her presence on and off the screen and her performance are considered average, both in terms of acting and appearance.
Jamie Lever, making her Tollywood debut, impresses with her performance. Her dialogue delivery, mannerisms, body language, and screen presence are delightful to watch, despite some feeling that she might be a miscast for the role.
Viva Harsha and Shakalaka Shanker, known for their comedy, test the patience of the viewers with their performances. Ajay plays his part as a cop effectively, as do Gautami and Murali Sharma in their cameos.
Anish Kuruvilla, Rajeev Kanakala, Raghu Babu, Goparaju Ramana, Ariyana Glory, and others perform according to the demands of their roles, adding to the overall narrative.
Aa Okkati Adakku features a story penned by debutant Malli Ankam, who ambitiously attempts to recreate the magic of a yesteryear classic. The core point he chooses—highlighting and creating awareness about fraud in matrimonial sites—is indeed interesting and relevant. However, Ankam's screenplay and direction fall flat due to the inclusion of routine elements. The comedy scenes, intended to elevate Allari Naresh's character and featuring Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha, Shakalaka Shankar, and others, end up feeling stale and fail to bring freshness to the narrative. Ankam's inexperience is glaringly exposed in his writing, which lacks depth and fails to engage the audience.
Ankam's attempt to make the first half hilarious backfires, and his shift to a more serious tone in the latter half fails to resonate due to the predictable narration. Despite these shortcomings, the film's message about being cautious on matrimonial sites remains noteworthy.
Gopi Sunder's music for the film, while in sync with the plot, is below average, failing to leave a lasting impact. The background score, though functional, does little to enhance the storytelling. Editing by Chota K Prasad leaves much to be desired, with several drags and repetitive scenes that test the viewers' patience. Cinematography by Surya is adequate, and the production values are standard.
Overall, Aa Okkati Adakku falls short of expectations, with its ambitious premise undermined by lackluster execution and a failure to engage the audience effectively.
Altogether,Aa Okkati Adakku falls short of replicating the charm of the yesteryear classic. Malli Ankam's attempt to revive the vintage Allari Naresh on screen fails to resonate, as the characters lack depth and fail to connect with the audience. Taking these aspects into consideration, Cinejosh gives Aa Okkati Adakku a rating of 2.