Sree Vishnu’s latest film Swag, directed by Hasith Goli, who previously delivered a hit with Raja Raja Chora, aims to continue his success streak following the success of Samajavaragamana and Om Bheem Bush. However, despite the tagline “Acha Telugu Cinema,” the teaser and trailer leave the film’s theme somewhat unclear, piquing curiosity among viewers. Please read our review to find out.
Swag Story: Rukmini Devi (Ritu Varma), queen of the Vinjamara dynasty in 1551, enforced male subjugation and symbolized women’s empowerment. Bhavabhuti Maharaja (Sree Vishnu I), unable to endure her superiority, founded the Svaganika dynasty to promote male dominance. Fast forward to today: Bhavabhuti (Sree Vishnu II), now a retiring police SI, schemes to find the Svaganika treasure, but his plans keep failing. Enter Singareni, aka Singa (Third Sree Vishnu), searching for his father, and Anubhuti (Second Ritu Varma), also seeking the treasure. Meanwhile, Yayati (Fourth Sree Vishnu) seems to be the reason why no one has found the treasure yet. To know all the answers, watch the film on the big screen.
Performances: This is undoubtedly the riskiest film of Sree Vishnu’s career. Not only does he portray four distinct characters, but his unexpected fifth role stands out as his best, earning him significant praise. It’s no exaggeration to say this film elevates his stature as an actor.
Ritu Varma had a substantial role, but unfortunately, she struggled to bring the depth needed for Rukmini Devi, which diminished the impact of the character. Meera Jasmine played a pivotal role, while Daksha Nagarkar added some glamour. The Goparaju Ramana-Ravi Babu duo provided occasional laughs, and Kiriti’s portrayal of Naishkaalsha marks a crucial turning point in the story.
Technical Aspects: The film’s standout element is Vivek Sagar’s background score, especially the way it heightens the interval twist. Vedaraman’s cinematography is also noteworthy, and the production design and artwork are well-executed, with no compromises from the producers. The film could have been more coherent had editor Viplav Naishadham taken a stricter approach to trim the content.
While it’s important to love the scenes you write, it’s equally crucial as a director to ensure those scenes connect with the audience and are easily understood. Hasith’s attempt to rely on twists and turns didn’t land as intended. However, his grand ideas as a writer and his perspective on how society should respect individuals deserve recognition.
Analysis: There are two ways to approach a simple story: one is to present it exceptionally, and the other is to complicate it unnecessarily, hoping to excite the audience with convoluted twists. Director Hasith Goli opted for the latter approach with Swag. While the core story he chose is solid, and the way certain issues are addressed is commendable, the execution falters.
For instance, the symbolic transformation of a child through an engraved sculpture, and the emotional depth in the scene where the father forces the son to wear a loincloth and bathe, are well-executed and serve as highlights. These two scenes showcase Hasith Goli’s potential as a director and reflect his thoughtful approach.
However, his desire to satisfy his creative urges as a writer led to unnecessary confusion for the audience. As a result, the first half, which should have been hilarious, felt lackluster, and the second half offered only moderate entertainment, and that too in bits and pieces.
Complex stories should be presented to the audience in a way that feels as easy as handing over a peeled banana. A great example of this is Manam, where Vikram Kumar turned a potentially confusing concept into a clear, engaging tale, much like a simple bedtime story.
Verdict: Overall, Swag is also a complex story with great scope for comedy, emotion, and thrill. However, Director Hasith Goli’s attempt to engage the audience through twists and turns, rather than simplifying the narrative, didn’t quite work. It will surely fall short of resonating with the general audience, limiting its appeal to a select few.
Bottom Line: Only for a select few
Swag Rating: 2.5/5
