Double Ismart is a crucial movie for Ram Pothineni, especially after Puri Jagannadh’s failure with Liger and Ram’s failure with Skanda. The film is a sequel to Ismart Shankar, and there is a solid buzz. Mani Sharma’s music and Kavya Thapar’s glamorous performance were big hits in the promos. Read our review to find out if the film lives up to all the hype or not.
Double Ismart Story: Big Bull (Sanjay Dutt) learns he has only three months to live due to a brain tumor. Desperate to survive, he seeks a way to live forever through a brain transfer. He discovers iSmart Shankar (Ram), who already has a USB port implanted in his brain in Hyderabad. Big Bull plans to transfer his brain into Shankar’s body to carry out his future plans. Double Ismart is a fierce battle between Shankar and Big Bull.
Performances: Ram has given a solid performance. Ram’s energy is electric, and it radiates from the screen to the audience. Kavya Thapar adds a good dose of glamour, and Ram effortlessly nails the dance sequences. This is Sanjay Dutt’s second Telugu film, following his guest appearance in Chandralekha. As Big Bull, Sanju Baba makes a strong impression with his screen presence. Although the role of the single mother, played by Jhansi, is brief, she leaves a lasting impact. Getup Srinu, Bani, Temper Vamsi, Sayaji Shinde, and others also deliver decent performances. Ali’s comedy does not work one bit.
Technical Aspects: Mani Sharma is like the second hero of the film, delivering double-impact music that keeps the audience entertained. Every song is a hit, especially “Mar Munta Chod Chinta,” which had the theater buzzing with excitement. The background score is also strong. Shyam K Naidu’s cinematography is decent, but when it comes to production design, this is the most budget-friendly film of Puri’s career. Despite spending nearly Rs 25 crore on casting, Puri seems to have cut corners on art and production design. However, his trademark dialogues work their magic as always.
Analysis: In part two, there is a bit of a story, and Ram’s character has a decent graph. But sadly, the execution could have been a lot better. There was scope for a lot of comedy, but on the downside, the Jumanji comedy track with Ali fell flat. The episodes and offensive language that slipped past the censors are unpleasant. Some of Ali’s antics on screen make it seem like Puri Jagannadh might have lost his touch in these moments.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a true commercial film, but Double Ismart fills that gap with Ram’s energy, Kavya Thapar’s beauty, and Mani Sharma’s music. While it may not reach the classic Puri range, it’s a significant improvement over his last film. As a result, Double iSmart is sure to be a hit with the mass audience and the youth.
There are many moments that entertain the masses, and that is what the film needs. Mani Sharma’s signature intense background score, which could have elevated the movie, is noticeably missing in this sequel. The face-off scenes with Sanjay Dutt fall flat, making his Telugu debut less impactful. His character is poorly developed, and the dubbing feels awkward.
On the downside, if you cut out that distasteful Ali segment, Double iSmart would be more appealing to the mass audience. There are so many scenes that bring back the vintage Ram into the foray. If there was a better narration, the output would have been a lot better for the audience.
Verdict: Overall, Double Ismart is a decent film but does not live up to the hype created. It also is nowhere near the first part. But that does not mean it has stuff that will impress the masses. Ram is solid in his role, and the presence of Sanjay Dutt adds to the narrative. Watch it without any expectations.
Bottom Line: Ram’s show all the way
Rating: 3/5
