Raju Gari Gadhi Review

Raju Gari Gadi Review, What’s Behind: Small screen sensation Ohmkar’s second tryst with big screen is in the form of this horror comedy released in theaters today. Starring Ohmkar’s brother Ashwin as hero and a bunch of artists make this film unique. Ever since, the trailer got immense response there is gradually good hype built around and entry of Varahi, AK Entertainments assured of something exciting in offing. Let us see, what lies inside our Raju Gari Gadi review.

Raju Gari Gadi Story: Narration begins straightly introducing an old fort (Mahal) in Nandigama wherein mysterious deaths happen very frequently. MAA TV comes up with an interesting reality show selecting seven contestants to spend seven days in Mahal and whoever unravels the complications behind these deaths will be awarded 3 Crs prize money. Here comes Ashwin, Chethan, Dhanraj, Shakalaka Shankar, Dhanya Balakrishnan, Vidyullekha Raman and Eeshanya entering into Mahal. Eerie incidents happen during day and nights generating anxiety among them. 

Here Ashwin explains his purpose of entering into contest by disclosing a family flashback wherein his brother (Rajeev Kanakala), a doctor by profession popularized for creating awareness on organ donation is brutally killed in the same Mahal. In process of chasing this mystery, they come across auto-biography of a dead king Bommala Raja (Posani), owner of Mahal and his dead daughter Bommali (Poorna). 

What is the actual story behind Mahal? How dangerous was the reality show? How Ashwin deciphers the exact perplexity forms rest.

Raju Gari Gadi Artists and Technicians: First to start with Ohmkar, he is purely cinema passionate and hard worker. Story of Raju Gari Gadi has too many components to present which shows Ohmkar’s intensity to say more and more. There is horror, thriller, comedy, family emotion and also a message offering completeness in climax. This means, there is more of extra luggage on Ohmkar to place everything in right areas and right proportions but finally he ends up to be good with none. More he thought and lesser is delivered. 

Screenplay and direction appears to have flown effortlessly in entire first half inducing a thrill multiplied with entertaining fun. By the time we enter into second half, Ohmkar departs from the commanding comedy track and direction angles off into a new concern. 

Sai Madhav Burra, an intellectually high qualified writer showed immense comic touch in this film. Gnanam’s camera work is terribly good for a project of this magnitude. Naga Raju has done a tremendous editing job by dividing overall film into bits and pieces of horror-comedy, serious message portions. However, he missed in making them cohesive as a whole with less sensual provocation. Sai Karthik’s musical score is an asset and this can be called as one of his best scores so far. Sahi Suresh’s set work is also quite authentic. Production values of Oak, Varahi and AK are truly surprising.

Artists wise, Ohmkar tried to establish his brother Ashwin as promising actor. Ohmkar gave lot of scope for feel good family emotion, action and all in all a heroic attitude to Ashwin’s role. At any time, Ashwin proved to be a performer without disheartening the efforts of his elder brother. Chetan behaved inconsistent in a weirdly designed key character. Dhanraj and Shakalaka Shankar stood as main lifelines contributing with their non-stop humorous episodes. Poorna is under-utilized or we can say wasted.  Dhanya Balakrishnan, Vidyullekha Raman have nothing much to do while Eeshanya served oomph. Sapthagiri just comes in for one episode. Posani is insignificant. Prabhas Srinu, Raghu Babu, Jabardasth Appa Rao did well. Rest like Jeeva and others may not need any mention.

Raju Gari Gadi Rating Analysis: Bored with Aravam flavored horror-comedies dealing in extremities, Ohmkar tabbed on a right commercial ingredient. He took maximal care in introducing audience to Mahal and there-on built a tempo with continuously haunting thrill element. Horror episodes shot between Dhanraj, Shankar with Poorna makes us laugh until we cry. Audiences of all classes are thoroughly to enjoy these portions. 

At the same time, Ashwin’s flashback transfuses seriousness and a purpose to whole story. While pre interval scenes stood hilarious and best portions, interval block is weakly conceived. 

Whatever the buildup and force imbibed in first half goes imbalanced in second half by revealing the lame thrill behind haunting spirits of Bommala Raja and Bommali. Comedy quotient falls down drastically as Ohmkar steers story towards ‘Raju Gari Gadi’ and a secret tunnel leading to unleash the central plot. Entire first half finds to be of no use when second half is observed as altogether a different film.

In-toto, Raju Gari Gadi is just an ok product for whatever the hilarity enjoyed in first half. Ohmkar if followed the same strategy to provide laughs with a simple climax to convince in second half, result would have been definitely different. Anyways, ‘Raju Gari Gadi’ is here to win 2.5 stars and might commercially do well in lower order centers.    

Raju Gari Gadi Cinejosh Verdict: First Half, Big Round of Applause and Second Half, What Non Sense

                                                      Raju Gari Gadi Cinejosh Rating: 2.5/5.0

                                                                                             Reviewed by Srivaas