Novel promotions and interestingly cut trailer stuff made Telugu audience to wait for Arjun Reddy release which has Pellichoopulu fame Devarakonda Vijay Sai as hero and directed by debutant Sandeep Reddy Vanga. In fact, youth instantly connected with cuss words and the ruggedness in visuals which made people to believe on the film being made on odd lines. Let us see, what Arjun Reddy is here to offer us?
A brilliant, St Mary’s Medical College topper medico Arjun Reddy (Devarakonda Vijay Sai) is a zero at anger management. He is aggressively free spirited brute with extremely unconventional mindset but falls in love at first sight with fresher at college Preeti (Shalini Reddy). In due process, Preeti falls for caring, bold and straight forward attitude of Arjun Reddy as they end up 100s of times on bed for love making. When it comes to marriage, caste differences in Preeti family separate them. This breakup leads to Preeti marrying a guy of her dad’s choice while Arjun Reddy gets alcoholic and a drug addict to begin a new life as a consultant doctor in a hospital. Still haunted by Preeti’s memories, a small mistake also costs Arjun Reddy to lose his medical registration. Finally when Arjun Reddy decides to change his life style after the death of grandmother (Kanchana), thus comes back Preeti back into is life. What happened is rest….
Gone are the good olden days with advent of young writing and direction talents into TFI changing and challenging the conventional rules in film making. Sandeep Reddy Vanga though hasn’t got any original thoughts in story because root for all these films lie in Devdas but his unusual flair at designing the central pillar of Arjun Reddy made the whole difference. This is in fact not a movie, Arjun Reddy traverses through the life of an unrealistic protagonist who hits hard at your brain with his attitude and high tempered profanity. Painful emotions a brilliant medico goes through in breakup are largely inspired from Imtiaz Ali’s treatment style in Rockstar and Karan Johar directorial Ae Dil Hain Mushkil. Yet, when we see for the first time on Telugu screen with an absorbing artist like Vijay, it haunts long. Sandeep’s narrative is too lethargic to sustain the feel and emotion. Somewhere down the lane…second half derails from central element and becomes excruciating, thanks to 3 hours 10 minutes runtime which may need an immediate trimming.
Raju Thota’s camera work drives us into Arjun Reddy world and every frame had a lease of life. Songs score by Radhan are though average, it’s the RR which stood a strong support in enhancing the appeal. Shashank’s editing style seems to have suited very well to this kind of storytelling even though episode by episode entertains in a shaky chronicle of Arjun Reddy life events. Sound design for the film leaves an impeccable mark. Production standards from Bhadrakali Pictures are very smart.
About artists, Devarakonda Vijay Sai is here to keep young female hearts on fire with his red hot looks. Intense characters like Arjun Reddy come once in a lifetime for any artist and Vijay leaves a flawless impact on audience. His inclination towards the psychology of characterization surprises us in many scenes. His energy, attitude, ruthless body language and dialogue delivery with typical Telangana accent takes him close to our hearts. Shalini hasn’t got a role with strong spine. She misses the whole second half only to finish off the film on a big cinematic note. Rahul Ramakrishna of Sainma fame who played a lengthy role of Vijay friend is the source for generating hilarious comedy, something in multiples of what Priyadarshi does in Pellichoopulu. Senior actress Kanchana’s English diction is amazing. Kamal Kamaraju and rest of the artists including the hot looking Jia Sharma fulfilled their part.
Vijay Devarakonda
Rahul Ramakrishna Comedy
Cinematography
Story
Length of Movie
Heroine Characterization
Arjun Reddy is definitely not a regular film watch. It’s bold, outrageous with lot many thumbs up episodes despite lacking strength in the central theme. Every time when Vijay appears on screen, rest of the characters and artists lose their significance in one man centered screenplay. Another major drawback is the limited appeal film has got which clearly keeps families and children strictly away. Too many lip locks and erotic sexual encounters of Arjun Reddy is of course path breaking in Tollywood but to what extent it leaves a negative effect on young thoughts need a debate.
From scene 1 and frame 1, director Sandeep makes Vijay and Arjun Reddy character the cynosure of all eyes. His arrogance at football match, debate with dean might connect with college students. Entry of Shalini is good but the love track hasn’t got a two-way connection because why Shalini aka Preethi falls for Arjun Reddy isn’t established properly. Even those episodes weaved in the form of Holi festival and Shalini’s leg injury to develop a chemistry landed them directly on bed depicted their excessive sexual gratification but not sincerity or purity in love. Do ranker Medicos really take sex this way? A minor separation when Arjun leaves to Mussorie and Preeti frequently flies to Arjun’s place are also taken for sexual grants. As we move towards interval, a silly caste problem centered on egoistic differences force Arjun to use Morphine keeping audience pants pissed. How far couple of simple cinematic reasons resulting in lead pair separation justifies the strength in Arjun Reddy’s characterization?
Into second half, Preeti is totally out from director’s concentration. In the name of celebration of sadness, prime runtime is filled with loads of pathos. Rahul Ramakrishna alone becomes the saving grace relieving the audience from Arjun’s agony. Four to five episodes arranged in an order, opting for a physical relation with heroine Jia Sharma…Arjun’s medical practice going chaotic…Arjun’s Italy friend winning his love…death of Arjun’s grandmother takes us slowly towards the path of realization in hero also missed in decisive logic. Climax is again one sidedly cinematic because Preeti unveiling her past isn’t in sync with theme’s sturdiness.
In totality, Arjun Reddy came so close to be called a cult for Sandeep’s direction and Vijay’s performance but a feeble, exhaustive second half evaporated the overall feel. Yet, the film helps Vijay to leap one more step towards gaining glory and stardom. Commercially, Arjun Reddy appeals more to youth audience and the Box Office range depends more on how B, C centers seize Arjun Reddy characterization in approximately 185+ minutes runtime. Cinejosh rates Arjun Reddy with 2.75 stars respecting Sandeep Reddy and his team for re-defining modern day Devdas on happy note.