Itlu Arjuna has generated considerable interest among Telugu audiences with its promotional campaign. Star hero Nagarjuna presents the film, which introduces newcomer Aneesh as the lead actor. Ram Charan, NTR, Akhil, and several other top heroes participated in the film’s promotions. The film is produced by Venky Kudumula, known for films like Chalo and Bheeshma. Anaswara Rajan plays the female lead. How is Itlu Arjuna, which hits theatres today? Let’s take a look.
Peddanna (Mukesh Rishi) is a mafia don, and he assigns his son Muni the responsibility of handling a thousand-crore hawala deal and sends him to Jaisalmer. However, an unidentified person steals the pen drive containing the details of the deal along with its password. Meanwhile, Muni is murdered by Gauri, one of his father’s trusted followers. The person who stole the pen drive believes that he is responsible for the murder. Unexpectedly, Arjun(Aneesh), a mute thief, gets caught up in this conflict. What kind of challenges does Arjun, who has been stealing since childhood, face while taking on the mafia don and his gang? How does he express his love for Keerthi (Anaswara Rajan)? Does the mafia don discover who killed his son? The answers form the rest of the story.
Performances: Aneesh makes his Tollywood debut as a lead actor with this film. Every newcomer wants to showcase their acting abilities in their first film. While actors making their debut in big-budget films often try to impress mass audiences with powerful dialogue delivery, Aneesh plays a mute character here.
It is not easy to carry an entire character through expressions without the support of dialogue. The way he communicates with the heroine through sign language and whistles is refreshing. Anaswara Rajan plays the role of Keerthi. She impresses not only with her glamour but also with her acting abilities. Notably, her character gets almost as much screen space as the hero.
Brahmaji, Mukesh Rishi, Getup Seenu, Raghu Babu, and Mime Gopi are among the experienced actors in the film. Vennela Kishore’s comedy works well, with his punchlines generating good laughs. Brahmaji and Getup Seenu also provide plenty of entertaining moments through their comedy track. Malayalam actor Kalaiyarasan Harikrishnan makes a good impression as the antagonist. Elango Kumaravel’s cunning villainous act is equally impressive.
Technical Aspects: Thaman emerges as one of the biggest strengths of Itlu Arjuna. Both the songs and background score leave a strong impression, with his energetic BGM adding considerable value to the narrative. Even when the writing falters, his music keeps the proceedings engaging and makes several sequences work better. He delivers a solid output on both fronts.
Raja Mahadhevan’s cinematography deserves a special mention, particularly in the romantic sequences, where the visuals look colourful and refreshing. However, the editing could have been tighter, especially in the second half, where a few portions feel stretched. Venky Kudumula has produced the film. It is no small thing to believe in a debut hero and invest such a huge budget in the project. The production values are top-notch. Venky’s trademark style is visible in several portions of the film’s story and screenplay.
Analysis: Several Telugu films have explored robbery as their central theme in the past. In particular, cat-and-mouse games between heroes and villains, filled with twists and turns, have always been interesting. Itllu Arjuna also belongs to this category. On one side, the film explores the heroine’s love story, while on the other, the director makes the first half engaging with the search for a big gang.
The first half moves smoothly with comedy and romantic elements. However, in the second half, he becomes heavily dependent on the action choreographers. Emotional depth and romantic elements are equally important, if not more important, than action. The interval twist comes as a major surprise. In the second half, the director maintains a good balance between suspense and comedy.
Mahesh Uppala has already made his mark as a director with the web series Oru Chinna Family Story. These days, several young directors are showcasing their talent through OTT platforms. However, when it comes to theatrical films, handling commercial elements can be challenging. Mahesh Uppala’s ability to handle a big-budget film with confidence is commendable.
The film keeps audiences curious until the end about who will eventually get their hands on the thousand crores. Instead of burdening the debut hero with too many action sequences, the makers have included fights only where necessary. Designing these action blocks effectively turns out to be a wise decision.
Verdict: Overall, Itlu Arjuna is a commercial action-romantic entertainer that has been told well. Aneesh makes an impressive debut, and Anaswara’s chemistry is one of the major highlights. The solid mix of romance and thrills, though the film has a routine story, makes up for an entertaining watch.
Bottom Line: Surprisingly good
Rating: 3/5
