<i>Anumanaspadam</i> - Review

By Staff

Published: Monday, August 13, 2007, 15:25 [IST]

Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Thriller doesnt make cut

The Telugu audiences had big expectations from a film, especially from a veteran director of Vamsee reputation, who left an indelible impression among the audiences with his film Anveshana long ago. The expectations increased when Illayaraja took on the music part of the film. Moreover, the film has been made, courtesy NRIs who have being trying hard to earn a good name in film industry. The result of the effort is Anumanaspadam.

Bhavaraju Suryanarayana (Aryan Rajesh) is a QTV channel reporter. He and his team go deep into the Sarvamangalam forests to investigate information that Veerappan is dead. While returning from the forests, he happens to meet one investigative journalist . He collects valuable information that Veerappan had amassed massive property worth Rs 400 crores and has dumped it in the forests. Unfortunately, their van meets crashes up and the entire crew except Bhasu dies in the accident . Before dying, the already dead journalist hands over the details to Bhasu.

Though the information belongs to the Government, Bhasu decides to handle the situation himself. To arrange all the necessary funds and personnel to fully investigate the issue, he gives himself a year time. He tells his close friend Suri about this and they together chalk out a plan. Bhasu plans it thoroughly and takes with him a forest guide Thangavelu played by Jayaprakash Reddy, a doctor Devika played by Hamsa Nandini, a mines expert - namely Robert, a bomb expert Kamini, a cook Waste Babu and a driver-cum-mechanic AIDS Raju. They all go together into the forest along with Bhasu and Suri. During the journey, Bhasu falls in love with Devika. They somehow reach the place and bring out the treasure. So far everything goes on smoothly but doubt still remains as to whether or not whether Veerappan is dead or alive.

During their return journey, Suri first gets killed by an unidentified person and everyone believes that Veerappan had killed him as they are taking away his treasure. Likewise, Robert, Waste Babu get killed. But, while searching for the murderer, Bhasu finds the clothes, cheppals and artificial moustache of Veerappan and realizes that someone is behind the attack and Veerappan is not alive. He investigates and catches a villager who is killed by Kamini. Believing that the killer is dead, the group celebrates but Thangavelu and AIDS Raju are found dead. This again rises doubt on whether there is some other killer. Soon, Kamini also dies. Bhasu and Devika are the only ones alive. After a while, the alleged killer surfaces and attacks both of them and tries to take away the treasure. But, Bhasu who has already won the love of Devika, decides not to allow the killer to take the treasure nor does he want to have it. He throws away the box into a deep valley. In the climax, Bhasu surprises to know that it is Suri who played the entire drama by making everyone believe that he is dead in the first place. The film ends with the paiting of the hero and heroine, Hamsa Nandhini and Bhasu.

PLUS:

The only plus point in the film is the excellent and efficient direction of Vamsee and his screenplay. Though most of the faces in the lead cast are not familiar, he was able to run the show very effectively. Another plus point is the fantastic re-recording done by Illayaraja. The music had elevated the tempo of the film to certain extent. PG Vinda's cinematography helped in maintaining the tempo and suspense in the film. The camera work is in tune with the thriller story.

MINUS:

The lead cast is a minus point in the film. Neither Aryan Rajesh nor Hamsanandini could catch the glimpse of the audiences as their performance is quite artificial. Even the girl who played the role of Kamini is also not worth looking at despite a "heavy exposure" of skin. Another minus point in the film is the unfamiliar faces in the lead cast. Though their comedy is good enough because of the able direction of Vamsee, they could not evoke much laughter by the audiences. Editor Srikara Prasad should have made the film crisper.

REMARKS:

Though the film had a good prehype that it would be on the lines of 'Anveshana', one of the best ever thrillers on Telugu cinema. Though the director tried to make it a thriller, he failed to impress the present generation audiences. With lot of films from Hollywood pouring in with huge suspense and lot of thrills, the film really far off from thrilling to the present generation youth. Could be recommended to see once because the film is from Vamsi. Unless the fans of Vamsi, the film has not much to boast off.

Cast : Aryan Rajesh, Hamsa Nandini, Jayaprakash Reddy, Tanikella Bharani, MS Narayana and others

Credits :
Story&dialogues - Akula Vamsikrishna
Camera - PG Vinda
Editing - Srikara Prasad
Action - Stun Siva
Music - Illayaraja
Producers - Satish Thati and Jai Arnala
Screenplay and Direction - Vamsee.