Raj Madiraju's Grey is releasing on 26 May 2023. The film generated interest with a thrilling teaser and trailer. The film's OTT streaming is yet to be finalized and streaming will be after the completion of its theatrical run. Let us find out what Grey offered to movie lovers.
Grey (2023) Telugu movie Story is a spy thriller involving an ISRO scientist, and how international agencies try to get secrets from him. Professor Sudarshan Reddy (Prathap Pothen), an ISRO scientist is on a research mission and is on the verge of completing his research. However, he faces many adversaries in the form of ISI, CIA, etc.
To find out whether he is able to complete his research successfully, what he is up to, how BBC reporter Aarushi Reddy/Sharma (Urvashi Rai), Inspector Nayak(Ali Reza), and Doctor Raghu (Arvind Krishna) are connected to it, form the rest of the narration.
Late Prathap Pothen showed his experience to play the role of an ISRO scientist effortlessly. He attracts with his mannerisms, body language, dialogue delivery, and expressions. Ali Reza is ok in his role as Inspector Nayak and Arvind Krishna too did his role as Doctor Raghu well.
Urvashi Rai made her debut in Tollywood with this film. The Punjabi-born Delhi girl is all game for her role. She tot the all important role and did what was required for her from the director and the makers. She showed good expressions and emotions varying it according to the happiness and sorrow state of mind.
But more than her acting, director Raj Madiraju decided to elevate her glamor on the screen. She oozed with glamor and as the film and her role required she looked seductive and did those liplocks and intimate scenes quite confidently. The makers can flood her with offers if they wish to cast her in similar roles.
Grey story selected by Raj Madiraju is about spies, scientists, nuclear secrets, espionage, etc. He tried to give James Bond kind of feel to the viewers and starts the narration in an interesting manner with the chronology of Indian scientists killed in a mysterious manner.
While movie lovers felt that they are in for a different thrilling treat and that too in grey shades watching Grey in black and white, they are proven wrong. The entire espionage, honey trap, and other spy thriller backdrop go for a toss and for most of the first half, the director concentrated only on exploiting the glamor and beauty of Urvashi Rai.
The story doesn't move forward and the screenplay and direction go for a toss as all the characters are only interested in having mating and intimate scenes precede every minute after a dialogue. The first half ends and the second half fares a little better. However, the intimate scenes and liplocks will not leave anyone. Finally, the story ends with a prelude to the second part.
The music of Nagaraju Talluri is ok and BGM is in sync with the storyline. Chetan Mauranthakam as the cinematographer used different techniques as the entire film was shot in black and white so as to give the viewers that Grey Feeling while watching the film as the title signifies and tried to do justice to the title. However, in the process, the makers robbed the movie lovers of a chance to enjoy the glamor and beauty of Urvashi Rai in intimate scenes and liplocks in color.
Dialogues are just ok and Satya Giduturi the editor is at a loss as to what to include and what not. This impacted the film's final output. Production values of Adwitiya Movies are ok.
Altogether, Grey turns out to be a B-grade spy thriller. Raj Madiraju tried to attract viewers by presenting the film as a spy thriller and if movie lovers go to the theatres expecting the spy thriller, they will be in for a surprise. Generally, spy thrillers will be interwoven with honeytrap and other elements, but Raj Madiraju understood it the other way. Thus he highlighted the honeytrap and seductiveness more than the espionage and spy thriller angle. This in turn turned the film into an adult entertainer with double-meaning dialogues bereft of any spy thrilling elements. It is in fact an insult to the spy thriller films and glorification of the seductiveness angle associated with it. Considering all these elements Cinejosh goes with a 1.5 Rating for Grey.