Priyadarshi, who received a good hit with Court, acted as the hero, while Indraganti Mohanakrishna directed the film Sarangapani Jathakam. The makers have been promoting it as a good Telugu film made with pure humour. Even if there was a slight delay… has the film finally managed to impress the audience with its release on April 25? Let’s see..
Story: Sarangapani (Priyadarshi) is a new-age guy who wakes up in the morning, reads his horoscope, “What will happen today?” but doesn’t get out of bed. His manager, Maithili (Roopa Kodavayur), who has secretly liked him for a long time, proposes to him, and they get engaged. With the wedding just a few days away, a dark element is revealed in Sarangapani’s horoscope. If he gets married without crossing a certain “ganda” (bad omen), there’s a high chance of misfortune. Determined to fix it, he seeks help from his friend Chandu (Vennela Kishore) to deal with it at any cost. So what exactly is the mess? What crazy things does Sarangapani do to fix it? What troubles does he face in the process? Watch the film to know.
Performances: Priyadarshi continues to mature as an actor with every role. His portrayal of a horoscope-obsessed man is quite impressive. However, Priyadarshi, who usually shines with subtle humor and expressive reactions, seems to struggle a bit with more physical comedy and body language-based humour. Roopa Kodavayur, as Maithili, fits the role of a traditional Telugu girl perfectly. Her performance is a great example of how well such roles benefit from actors who bring natural charm and grace.
Vennela Kishore once again impresses with his comic timing and dialogue delivery. Having worked with Indraganti before, Kishore doesn’t rely heavily on body language but instead delivers strong humor through witty wordplay. Especially, his rhyming punches stand out. Though Harsha Chemudu appears only in the second half, his comedy is highly effective and adds value.
Srinivas Avasarala’s role was intended to be a surprise element, but due to the way it was written, it didn’t quite land as expected. The twist around his character also fell flat, though a few of his lines worked well. The roles of Naresh and Vadlamani Srinivas are moderately humorous. Kalpalatha and Rupalakshmi are convincing as mature, supportive wives.
Technical Aspects: Vivek Sagar’s music doesn’t create the expected magic. A bit more creativity in the song picturization would have helped. The background score, however, is decent. PG Vinda, as always, delivers visually. The cinematography supports the tone and scale of the film well. Particularly, the 20-minute green mat terrace sequence in the climax is well-handled. The art direction and production design teams didn’t have much to do, as most scenes were shot in real locations, which also helped in saving budget.
Analysis: Director Indraganti Mohanakrishna based this film on Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, a short story by Oscar Wilde published in 1887. Not just the core idea, but even parts of the screenplay and setup are inspired by the novel. He succeeds in adapting an English story into a Telugu setting with his flavor. That said, Indraganti still holds on to a somewhat traditional style of storytelling.
While the comedy and the anxiety-ridden climax work well, there’s a lingering sense of dissatisfaction, perhaps due to a lack of freshness. A slight update in approach might have elevated the experience. Nevertheless, his skill in writing double-meaning dialogues without vulgarity is commendable. Also, his love for the Telugu language shines through, and directors like him help keep the language alive in Telugu cinema. All in all, Indraganti scores more as a writer than as a director in this outing.
Sarangapani Jathakam offers clean, situational comedy at a time when dark humour and crass dialogue are trending. The comedy by Vennela Kishore and Harsha Chemudu is a highlight and will surely be enjoyed by audiences. The 15-minute situational climax is a laugh riot and leaves you on a high. However, the lengthy narrative and over-stretching of the core plot become minor drawbacks.
Verdict: Overall, Sarangapani Jathakam is a film that will appeal to those who enjoy Indraganti-style humour, love the Telugu language, and appreciate healthy comedy. For others, it might sound routine. Give the film a shot if you do not have absolutely nothing to do this weekend.
Bottom Line: Passable comedy.
Rating: 2.5/5
