A… Aa Review, What’s Behind: Director Trivikram Srinivas is back with this new film starring Samanta, Nithin in leads after his last super hit ‘S/O Sathya Murthy.’ Right from title till promotions, A… Aa is seen as a special summer release. Let us see, what Trivikram has offered us?
A… Aa Story: Anasuya (Samanta) is the only daughter of multi millionaire business woman Mrs. Rama Lingam (Nadhiya) and a henpecked husband Mr. Rama Lingam (Naresh). Unable to bear the coercive living principles from mother, Anasuya freaks out to her aunt (Easwari Rao)’s village where lives Bava Anand Vihari (Nithin) and his sister (Ananya). However, there’s a rift between both these families connected with Anand Vihari’s father (Jaya Prakash) demise. So, Anasuya takes an initiative to join these separated families. How she achieved the goal and won the love of Anand Vihari?
A… Aa Artists and Technicians: As a story, A… Aa is wafer thin and a strong replication of Trivikram’s earlier films like ‘Aththarintiki Daaredi’ or to an extent ‘S/O Sathya Murthy.’ However, what makes A… Aa reach those remarkable standards is Trivikram’s pen power and screenplay. Despite a lengthy narration of 150+ minutes, no where story creates an impact on us yet we just cherish the moments with amazing dialogues and clean execution. Screenplay is straight forward. There are no twists and turns to provide goose bumps. Characters comes on screen, entertain the viewers notwithstanding the lack of depth and emotional affinity in content. That’s the transfixing dialogue writing abilities in Trivikiram locks our concentration. Direction wise, Trivikram hasn’t adopted any novel approach. In turn, he re-told the story of his old films like romantic track influenced by ‘Nuvve Nuvve’ or family emotions wheedled from ‘AD.’ All in all, Trivikram showed his mark striking in his fort. Nataraja Subramanian’s camera work is top notch. Exploitation of greenery and village essence in backdrop locales to enveloping the delicate emotions in Samanta, Nithin and Naresh, Nadhiya; his cinematography stood the key pillar. Kotagiri’s editing should also be respected but second half could have got little more scissoring. Mickey J Meyer’s ‘Rang De’ and ‘Yellipoke Syamala’ haunt us for some time and re-recording was conventional. Production standards of Haarika & Hassine Creations of China Babu are incredible.
About artists, A… Aa hasn’t got any hero to mention. Entire narration pivots around Samanta. So, it is worth to call Nithin just a male lead but not hero. It needs no big thought to know why Samanta struck to top heroine status from years. She is quite adorable as Anasuya and lived into the skin of character. Samanta portrayed the innocence, selfishness, scuffle to win her love and all the characteristic shades flawlessly. In one line, Sam is the basic lifeline which was ably supported by Nithin. He is an accidental male lead in the story. Neither does he got a strong goal nor a powerful conflict to high point in characterization. He just moves on with time. One more role competently written is of Rao Ramesh. He is delightful and a complete director’s artist. Rao Ramesh made the climax more imposing with his majestic dialogue delivery. Ajay was underpinned. Naresh stunned while Nadhiya hasn’t got much. Anupama Parameshwaran is wasted and so is Ananya. Giri Babu and Avasarala Srinivas tickled the fun bone situational. Easwari Rao was just ok. Raghu Babu, Sana, Praveen and others were also fine. Rest does not need a big mention.
A… Aa Rating Analysis: All the cinema loving Telugu public vexed with poor summer season and inadequate releases are forced to watch ‘Supreme, Sarrainodu.’ Those films like ‘Brahmotsavam’ thought as masterly Box Office churners sunk in no time. A… Aa comes exactly at such time, a minimal positive response can do maximum wonders. Thanks to Trivikram, this film has definitely got entertaining stuff much more than the needed minimum. Without letting the ball to go out from his comfort territory, Trivikram played a safe game based on family centric story element.
Yes, ‘A… Aa’ is largely inspired from Vijaya Nirmala directed ‘Meena’ which was again a rehash of Yudhdhanapudi Sulochana Rani’s famous novel of same name. So, what? Trivikram imprinted his trademark treatment into storytelling format by owning the whole plot and ripening the family drama. Trivikram is the reason for that bright spark in Samanta’s face visible throughout. Entire casting team and technical crew made it a worth cinematic experience.
On to drawbacks, the typical family entertainer hasn’t got any strong point to register in whole first half. Except heroine coming to hero’s village, nowhere we are exposed to the central lock. Romantic track engages the audience with Trivikram monogram humor. Entry of Rao Ramesh and Anupama Parameshwaran into the record made the pace lethargic. With no meaty element to drive in a high emotional quotient, movie moves onto a safe interval block without any stumbling.
At a time when A… Aa lies on the danger of repeating ‘Brahmotsavam’ in second half, finally Trivikram unveils the flashback briefed intelligently from Nadhiya, Naresh and Nithin’s perspectives. These are the supreme areas where Trivikram scores freely lifting overall standards. Regardless of fine layered story, many episodes following the flashback failed to excite us. Towards climax, Trivikram’s pen becomes sharp edged knife anxiously sketching the scenes with witty humor.
Finally, A… Aa isn’t a greatest product from Trivikram’s standards. He has done such films in the past and is capable of doing far better. Yet, this is a typical summer family entertainer worth and a best choice to visit the theaters. Aththarintiki Daaredi was narrated from hero Pawan Kalyan’s viewpoint, how it would be if the same story is re-written from Samanta’s standpoint. In one go, that’s A… Aa. Commercially, the film might fare decently in Overseas and do well in domestic circuit too for clean entertainment offered. In-toto, A… Aa is happily a 3 rating product.
A… Aa Cinejosh Verdict: Light Hearted Family Entertainer.
A… Aa Cinejosh Rating: 3.0/5.0
Reviewed by Srivaas