Manchu Lakshmi is keen at doing content rich films of late. W/O Ram promoted as a different film and has arrived today in theatres. Vijay Yelakanti, an ssociate of SS Rajamouli is making directional debut. Besides doing lead role, Manchu Lakshmi also produced this flick. Let’s see where Ram's wife is really struck up in this thriller?
Deeksha (Manchu Lakshmi) works for an NGO is admitted in hospital while her husband Ram (Samrat Reddy) declared dead in same incident. Deeksha approaches police with a complaint affirming that her husband is actually murdered. Police are no way interested in her voice and are about to close the case as Deeksha starts investigation in her own way to finally trace many clues only to submit them to corrupt inspector. When the same police officer tries to make a deal between Deeksha and the suspect Rocky (Adarsh Balakrishna), she puts a condition before him. What is it? What is the motive behind Ram’s murder? Who’s behind it? How Wife of Ram cracks is rest.
Thriller movies always generate curiosity but a film’s fate depends on how engagingly the story has been narrated and how far is the back story or say flashback was worth a wait till the end because thrillers are also following a template these days. Most of the directors fail to deliver a perfect knock out shock in climax weaving scripts centered on an expected twist hiding the core element till pre-climax. Coming to W/O Ram, director Vijay Yelakanti picked an old school plot and was not fluent at narrative. Thankfully, the film doesn’t have any songs. Despite the mood has been created, film did not lift off there on. Screenplay could have been more tight to keep us hooked.
Raghut’s work on background score was middling whereas cinematography by Samala Bhasker was above par. Editor Bakkina Thammiraju trimmed the film for crisp runtime yet left many uninteresting episodes in final version. Production values of People Media Factory and Manchu Entertainment are acceptable.
About performances, Manchu Lakshmi in lead lived in the character which had lots of scope to perform. She acted according to situations, so you are to connect with her. Priyadarshi Pullikonda is wasted completely. Adarsh Balakrishna was routine and Samrat Reddy was decent in brief role. The actor who played SI was cool. Rest, none needs a mention.
Runtime
Story
Screenplay
Direction
W/O Ram plays on a current scenario in society where females are facing sexual harassment from men who are in a typical mindset that women too should co-operate with them for mutual enjoyment. Suck kind of sensible subjects should be narrated with conviction and majority acceptance. But, first timer Vijay Yelakanti inspired alot from foreign films unfortunately was least bothered about screenplay. Thus is this mediocrity.
W/O Ram actually begins on a bang note with an anonymous person shooting Lakshmi. Story immediately goes back to 15 days elaborating the story behind it. Without wasting much time, Lakshmi rushed to hospital in critical condition and her husband bought dead. Formulaically, director Vijay unveiled a few unregistered stuff in beginning which actually has connection to twist to be unfolded only by end.
Episodes of Lakshmi investigating her husband’s murder case are not meaty and absorbing. The pub scene followed by attack on Lakshmi was amateurishly depicted. The intimate scene between Lakshmi and an escort doesn’t make any sense. Even intermission scene where suspect’s face gets unveiled is unexciting stuff.
Second half is filled with routine scenes of unknown persons attacking Lakshmi as she continues her investigation with help of Priyadarshi. When Priyadarshi goes hometown for his engagement, many unexpected things happen and this is area where storytelling turns interesting for few minutes until the meeting is arranged between Lakshmi and suspect. Movie finally ends with opening of twist in the tale.
In toto, W/O Ram fell short of expectations. The film is not captivating as its teaser and trailer. Poor writing and direction did the damage though Lakshmi has to be praised for attempting this. CJ goes with 2.25 stars and box office chances are meager indeed.