Brand Allu Arjun is one of the highly sale-able products in the present market and Dil Raju being on a milestone 25th production assignment, names like Harish Shankar, Devi Sri Prasad and Pooja Hegde added more value. Amidst high expectations the film is released today, so let us move into the actual review part.
Duvvada Jagannadham (Allu Arjun) is born and bought up in traditional Brahmin Agraharam running a pure vegetarian catering business. On to the other side of story, Duvvada Jagannadham is DJ teamed up secretly with a Police Officer (Murali Sharma) to erase evil in the society.
DJ takes up a tough assignment to demolish Royyala Naidu (Rao Ramesh)’s Agro Diamond Real Estate industry as it cheated thousands of families including the reason for death of Duvvada Jagannadham’s uncle (Chandramohan). How Home Minister (Posani)’s daughter Pooja (Pooja Hegde), Royyala Naidu’s son (Subba Raju) played their part in whole game is rest.
In story terms, Harish Shankar hasn’t picked any extra ordinary and novel line. Harish’s impeccable dialogue writing, Vikram Siri’s entertaining screenplay and formulaic direction standards made DJ a commercial feast. In fact, stories of this genre are as old as Aravallis. But, Harish’s presentation of heroism, sticking to safe play without taking an experimental path made whole show an engaging one for masses. Although, we find lot many inspirations of Arjun’s Gentleman or Junior NTR’s Adhurs but when Allu Arjun stole the show, one can forget all the references. Ayanaka Bose’s camera work is class a part leaving strong imprint with his wide range of frames especially in exploring Pooja Hegde. Editing by Chota K Prasad could have been shaper in second half yet bearable. Devi Sri Prasad’s title song, Asmaika and Seeti Maar are instantly catchy while background score enhanced the impact. Production standards from Dil Raju are again on top notch.
About artists, Allu Arjun is slowly and steadily increasing his brand among masses. Shouldering two varied characters of an action packed DJ and hilariously timed Brahmim Duvvada Jagannadham requires lot of home work and Bunny clearly did so. His rendering of Sabhya Samajaniki Message though repeated umpteen times, it was still very catchy. Emotions wise, Bunny shined in family scenes and the one in Chandramohan’s death part bought a complete actor in him. Action and dances, Allu Arjun flowed in throttle full energy. Pooja Hegde is left for glamour show. Bikini scene is too hot and her matching of dance steps with Bunny seems to be very easy. Rao Ramesh impressed with his dialogue modulation in a well written, regular villain characterization. Subba Raju was apt. Murali Sharma did his part decently. Tanikella Bharani, Pavithra, Vennela Kishore and others played their parts.
Allu Arjun Energy
Pooja Hegde Glamour
Harish Shankar Dialogues
DSP Songs
Entertainment
Routine Story
Slowed Down Second Half
No Wow Factors
There is a restricted formulaic template for Telugu cinema’s commercial storylines. Harish Shankar wrote this story in the same format and never went out on researching anything new. Apparently, the plot looks clichéd but it’s the fresh treatment and that too never tested one on Bunny made the film look different. Harish even went on using double meaning dialogues to cater the front bench demands and it worked.
Continuing the magical spark of establishing the hero from childhood in Gabbar Singh, here too Harish followed the same outlining by introducing us to DJ’s characterization within first fifteen minutes. Rest is of course open screenplay because Duvavda Jagannadham needs a girl friend and we have gorgeous Pooja Hegde and a villain to oppose and we have Rao Ramesh. Nothing out of the box, Bunny-Pooja’s romantic track was feeble. Thanks, Bunny covered the loopholes with his positive body language. In parallel, Rao Ramesh kept narrative momentum in tact with impressive dialogues. Murali Sharma stood the basic thread in igniting his hero. Interval block leaves the space for hero-villain confrontation in second half as the film till interval is definitely captivating.
Into second half, before beginning the violent and gore hero, villain conflict to take dominant portion, Harish played sensitively on family drama using Vennela Kishore’s USA episode. Here too, Bunny shined as an artist. Then Subba Raju into scene, screenplay turns very predictable. In parallel, Rao Ramesh’s tricks tracing DJ is a clever screenplay. Climax is tried differently which might be liked by few and repelled by few.
Commercially, DJ Duvvada Jagannadham is sure to connect with B, C order center audience which in fact the fort of Mega heroes. Allu Arjun’s screen presence, Harish Shankar’s dialogues, Pooja Hedge’s glamour are the main positives to pull the film off. Cinejosh rates DJ with 2.75 stars leaving the rest on Box Office to speak.