Nikhil and Sudheer Varma’s third film together, following Swamy Ra Ra and Kesava, is Appudo Ippudo Eppudo. As the title suggests, it’s unclear when exactly the film was shot. It was simply announced for release. After the blockbuster success of Karthikeya 2, Nikhil’s popularity has soared. However, there are minimal expectations for Appudo Ippudo Eppudo. The film’s promotions were also limited. Let’s see what this film has to offer.
Story: Rishi (Nikhil) is a fun-loving young man from Hyderabad. After a failed romance, he moves to London to pursue a career. There, he trains as a race car driver and takes on small jobs for pocket money. He meets Tulsi (Divyansh Kaushik) in London, falls in love with her, and dreams of marrying her. However, when Tulsi goes missing, Rishi unexpectedly encounters his old love, Tara (Rukmini Vasanth), from Hyderabad, now also in London, which rekindles his hopes for happiness. But Rishi accidentally gets entangled with a local don, Badrinarayana (John Vijay). Who is Badrinarayana, and what is his connection to Rishi? How does Rishi escape from him? And what roles do Tara and Tulsi play in this story? These questions form the core of Appudo Ippudo Eppudo’s storyline.
Performances: Nikhil entertains as always with his looks and timing. However, the audience struggles to connect with Rishi’s character due to a lack of clarity in his character development. For some reason, Rukmini Vasanth’s makeup in the film does not suit her well, detracting from her natural beauty. However, she has proved herself in terms of expressions and gestures.
Divyansh Kaushik was given a good role. Her character, which has a negative shade, is both glamorous and entertaining, making Thulasi an engaging presence. Harsha’s comedic timing brings plenty of laughs, especially in the second half, where some scenes are hilariously effective. John Vijay and Ajay’s characters are decent, while the roles of Satyadev and Sudarshan add the needed momentum to the story.
Technical Aspects: Sudheer Varma’s signature style is visible in every technical aspect. From camera work to lighting and music, the film consistently highlights, “This is a Sudheer Varma film.” Showing the story from a third-person perspective gives the film a bit of momentum. Sunny MR’s background music also fell short of providing the necessary impact. The production and art departments’ work is below par. Richard Prasad’s cinematography and Karthik’s songs are average.
Analysis: It is often said that films like Orange failed because they were ahead of their time. If they had been released later, their reception might have been very different. However, some films are delayed and released well after the trend has passed, regardless of timing. Then or Now fits this description precisely with the film Appudo Ippudo Eppudo which is neither here nor there.
Nikhil shot this film long ago, as evident from his appearance, and the outdated look affects the film’s appeal. The content is average, the commercial appeal is limited, and, most importantly, the action sequences are poorly designed and lack excitement. There are so many logical errors in the film as the cops are made to look so silly in the proceedings. There is no thrill factor in this film which is a must for crime dramas.
The first half was quite weak, and although the second half is somewhat better, the design of key scenes wasn’t impressive and failed to fully entertain. However, the way the crucial turning point in the story was revealed felt disjointed. There was so much scope for director Sudheer Varma to make things better but he lost out on the opportunity in a big way. Overall, the film fails to engage and ultimately does not succeed in connecting with the audience.
Verdict: Overall, Appudo Ippduo Eppudo is an outdated crime drama that has so many issues right from scene one. The lack of interest in the product is visible in the narration. Just ignore the film this weekend and look for something else better.
Bottom Line: Lacks basic thrill
Rating : 2/5
