NTR Biopic Kathanayakudu Review: A Grand Celebration Of NTR's Life

Telugu cinema's resident 'Legend' Balakrishna is one of the most popular and revered names in the film industry today. He is liked by his fans because of his gripping screen presence, bindass nature, impressive range as an actor and 'mass hero' image. At present, he is in the limelight because of the NTR Biopic. The first part NTR Kathanayakudu hit the screens today(January 9, 2019). The film is a magnum opus in the truest sense and has created a good amount of buzz amongst the fans. So, is the NTR Biopic worth the wait? Read the NTR Biopic Kathanayakudu review to find out.

Plot

NTR Kathanayakudu revolves around NTR's passion for cinema and highlights how it was not merely a profession but a way of life for the matinee idol. The biopic recreates the golden years of cinema with great emphasis on the finer details. At the same time, NTR Kathanayakudu focuses on NTR's personal life and highlights how he lived for others. The film also sets the stage for NTR Mahanayakudu.

Performances

Balakrishna is the heart and soul of the NTR Biopic. His remarkable screen presence adds a new dimension to the film. He manages to get the body language right and does full justice to some of NTR's classic avatars. Vidya Balan makes an impressive debut. She has carried off the traditional look quite well. Her subdued act should appeal to the class audience.

Sumanth, who plays ANR, is given the same importance as NBK. And, he has hit the ball out of the park here. Kalyan Ram and Rana have relatively smaller roles and are decent. The rest of the cast too does its job well.

Script And Direction

NTR was the greatest matinee idol and mass leader of his era. And, quite frankly, highlighting his achievements is not an easy task. Krish needs to be praised for treating such a topic with great care. The block right before the interval is quite powerful and Krish has ensured that comes across as intense rather than OTT. Similarly, the 'Toofan Scene' too works because of the Krish touch. The screenplay too is quite a good one. It focuses more on 'showing' rather than 'telling'

Other Aspects

MM Keeravani has managed to elevate each and every scene with his effective background score. If you liked his work in Baahubali then there is a high chance that he'll impress you big time in the NTR Biopic. The cinematography by Gnana Shekar V.S is good and does justice to the film. However, the editing could have been a bit better as a few scenes tend to drag a bit.

Positives

Balakrishna's solid performance

The gripping presentation.

The Music

Negatives

It's a bit too long for one's liking.

Some of the getups donned by Balakrishna do not look too convincing.

Verdict

The NTR Biopic, with some good performances and a solid screenplay, manages to hit all the right notes. All in all, this one is a winner. The NTR Biopic has successfully recreated the golden age of Telugu cinema.