Bhala Tandanana starring Sri Vishnu and Catherine Tresa as the lead pair had a theatrical release today. Let’s see how it fares.
Story:
Being a crime journalist, a lady named Sasirekha( Catherine Tresa) starts digging for the whereabouts of a rich businessman Anand Bali( Garuda Ramachandra Raju). In the process, she crosses paths with an orphanage accountant Chandu( Sree Vishnu). How will things take a new turn after news regarding Rs 2000 crore hawala money comes out? Who will be dealing with the hawala network? How will Chandu lands in the crime world which is interconnected with the hawala money? To know the answer to all the questions, you have to watch the film in the theatres near you.
Performances:
Sree Vishnu is okay with his usual acting and tried to do justice to the given role. While his soft-natured attitude in the first half is good, the transformation in the latter part is decent.
Heroine Catherine Tresa has a good screen presence. Her performance as a crime journalist adds freshness to the proceedings. But looks-wise, Catherine is a bit chubby and lost the charm on her face. Her chemistry with Sree Vishnu is okay but would have been presented even better.
KGF fame Ramachandra Raju gets a meaty role as the main antagonist and he did his part quite convincingly. Posani Krishna murali evokes decent fun with his typical mannerisms which is a sign of relief to the serious narration in the second half.
Comedian Satya generates good comedy with his punch dialogues in a few scenes in the first half. Other artists who did supporting roles are okay in their respective roles.
Technicalities:
Mani Sharma’s music is a major asset to the film as his background score registers well. His tunes for a couple of songs are good and audible on screen.
The cinematography work by Suresh Ragutu is apt for the film’s genre and presented the entire film with a good framing setup. Editing by Marthand K Venkatesh is okay but he would have made the film crisper by chopping off a few dull episodes in both the halves.
Dialogues by Srikanth Vissa are good and elevate a couple of episodes nicely. Production values for this limited budget movie are good.
Analysis:
Chaitanya Dantuluri who earlier directed critically acclaimed films like Banam has tried to reinvent himself with Bhala Thandhanana which is clearly visible on screen. The director’s idea of narrating a serious crime drama but inserting elements such as fun and love in the narrative is good but failed to carry the momentum throughout the film.
While his execution in the first half is decent, the latter half is left abruptly with so many unanswered questions. For instance, the heroine character is projected as a strong lady in a couple of establishment scenes but later her character is not presented properly and dilutes completely towards the end.
To summerize, Bhala Thandhanana is a crime drama that has a few decent moments in the first half. But the outdated and beaten to death routine template narration in the second half makes the film an unengaging watch.
Verdict: Disappointing!
Rating: 1.5/5
