Chintakayala Ravi - Review

Nallamalupu Srinivas (Bujji) who had produced the blockbuster Lakshmi with Venkatesh, has again roped in the same hero for his next movie Chintakayala Ravi. Lakshmi had some action in the backdrop but this time, Venkatesh has chosen a flick, which has a storyline with family entertainment, with a touch of sentiment. Directed by Yogesh, the film really has the Venkatesh-type of comedy and the film will reminds the audiences of his earlier films Nuvvu Naaku Nachav and the recent Aadavari Maatalaku Ardhale Verule. Though the storyline is a little routine one, the treatment is novel and the audiences will be able to enjoy the flick.

Chintakayala Ravi (Venkatesh) is a normal student. However, he is attached to his mother Seshumamba (Lakshmi) and in order to please her, he convinces that he is a bright student. With the craze for software engineers, Seshu sends him to the US to undergo software engineer course. Ravi spends the money for the surgery of a friend (Venu Thottempudi) and sacrifices his career. In order to make Seshu believe that he is doing a software engineer's job, he stays back in the US by working as a bartender. Seshu continues to believe that he is a software engineer and arranges an alliance with Mamidikayala family. Lavanya (Mamta Mohandas), who has a craze for staying abroad agrees to marry Ravi. She calls up her friend Sunita (Anushka) in the US to enquire about Ravi. Sunita could not find the software firm with the name, but only finds a bar with the name. Incidentally she comes across Ravi and believes that he is a cheat and a womaniser.

Sunita unravels the secret that Ravi is just a bartender and not a software engineer. Lavanya's father (Sayaji Shinde) cancels the alliance and slaps Ravi's father for cheating them right in front of Ravi. So Ravi decides to avenge the insult caused by Sunita. So, he spoils the alliance of Sunita, due to which her father (Chalapati Rao) is admitted hospital with a heart attack. However, Ravi saves him from life threat, when he suffers from breathlessness. In the hospital, Sunitha learns that Venkatesh is a gentleman, who has sacrificed his career to help a friend. This makes Sunitha befriend Ravi and the latter tries to bring an alliance for Sunitha as he had spoiled it. In the course of time, both Sunitha and Ravi fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Ravi's friends call up the friend whom Ravi had saved and in turn goes to Lavanya's house and explains everything. This sets everything right and again the marriage gets fixed. Being the best friend Sunita also attends the marriage. In the climax, everyone comes to know that Ravi and Sunita are in love with each other and Lavanya steps aside to get them united. The film ends on a happy note.

PLUS:
Venkatesh single handedly manages the entire show. It is he who entertainsthe audiences with his comedy, touches the hearts of woman audiences with his performance in sentimental scenes and enthralls the youth with his dances. He has proved once again that he is an all-rounder beyond an 'image'. Anushka has a lot of scope for performance and surprisingly, the director has ensured that the camera doesn't focus on her waist as other directors choose to cash in on her glamour. She has done a neat job and has got the audiences prepared to see her in a serious role as a prelude to a heroine-oriented film Arundhati with herself playing the title role.

Mamta Mohandas' role is limited to a couple of duets in the first half. She does not have much scope to perform. Another speciality of the film is that Young Tiger NT Rama Rao has shaken his legs along with Venkatesh in a song, which has attracted many an audience. As far as direction is concerned, Yogesh has improved a lot from Oka Raju Oka Rani. He has maintained a nice tempo all through the film. Though the first half remains a little nagging, he has got a firm grip in the second half and has made the film interesting. Camera work by Ravindrababu is okay and he has been able to capture the beauty of the US. The colour schemes and lighting also perfectly suits the scenes.

MINUS:
Music by Vishal-Sekhar duo is a minus. The music beat overrides the lyrics in some songs. But for two songs, 'Valla Valla Valla Baby… ' and 'Baagunde…' none of the other songs are impressive. They have copied their own tune from Om Shanti Om for the bit song before the climax. Background score is somewhat better with Manisharma taking charge of it. Editing by Srikar Prasad should have been sharper. Especially, the scenes where the hero brings alliance for Anushka appears boring and is stretched beyond limit. Dialogues by Kona Venkat are partly good. Comedy by Ali was boring and nagging.

REMARKS:
The production values of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Productions are excellent and the producer has spent lavishly for the film as most of the film was shot in the US. No doubt, the film would run well in all the centres. The film would not bring loss to the producer, but its commercial success range could be known on how far the youth and mass audiences receive, especially in the absence of mass masala scenes and action episodes.

Cast: Venkatesh, Anushka, Mamata Mohandas, NT Rama Rao (special appearance), Venu Thottempudi (guest appearance), Chandramohan, Sayaji Shinde, Pradeep Shakti, Sunil, Brahmanandam, Ali, Ajay, MS Narayana, Ganesh, Venumadhav, Raghubabu, Srinivasa Reddy, Lakshmi, Arthi Chabria and others

Credits:
Story, dialogues, additional screenplay – Kona Venkat, Music – Vishal-Sekhar, Lyrics – Chandrabose, Camera – K. Ravindrababu, Editing – Srikar Prasad, Presents – Bhavya, Producer – Nallamalupu Srinivas (Bujji), Screenplay and direction – Yogesh.

Banner: Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Productions

Released on: October 2, 2008