Thandel is based on the lives of a group of fishermen who went fishing and were trapped in Pakistan. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the film is produced by Bunny Vasu on a massive budget and stars Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles. Let’s see how well this film from Geetha Arts has impressed the audience after a long time.
Story: Raju (Naga Chaitanya) leads a group of fishermen from Srikakulam to Gujarat, inheriting his fishing and leadership qualities from his father. He spends nine months at sea and enjoys three months on land with Satya (Sai Pallavi), the love of his life. However, during one of their fishing trips, 22 fishermen accidentally cross into Pakistani waters and are arrested by the army. How does Satya fight to bring them back to India? How does the Indian government intervene in this process? This forms the core plot of Thandel.
Performances: Naga Chaitanya has completely immersed himself in the role. He has paid close attention to language, accent, and body language. Even in ordinary scenes, he delivers a strong emotional impact. This film is a milestone in his acting career.
Sai Pallavi impresses as always, though her self-dubbed Srikakulam slang lacks spontaneity, making the dialogues feel less impactful. However, her expressive gestures as a determined lover keep the audience engaged.
Divya Pillai, Bablu Prithviraj, and Kalpalatha have done justice to their roles. On the other hand, Tamil actor Karunakaran seems slightly out of place. Though he was roped in for the Tamil version, a well-cast Telugu actor might have been a better choice for this role.
Technical Aspects: Devi Sri Prasad’s music is a major highlight of the film. Songs like Hylessa and Bujji’s Mother are as visually captivating as they are melodious. The background score also enhances the film’s impact.
Sam Dutt’s cinematography is decent, and Karthik Ghattamaneni has effectively portrayed the storm sequences at sea. The film excels in terms of quality, thanks to the producers’ commitment to VFX work. Notably, Nagendra Kumar’s production design adds realism—be it the houses, boats, or the jail, everything feels authentic.
Analysis: Some story ideas seem promising on paper but require the right execution to truly captivate an audience. Thandel struggles in this regard. Despite its naturalistic sets, solid production design, and strong performances, the film falls short of full-fledged entertainment.
However, Naga Chaitanya’s dedication, Chandoo Mondeti’s well-crafted moments, and the technical team’s hard work deserve appreciation. Director Chandoo Mondeti attempts to balance both a love story and patriotic elements, but the emotional depth in the romance is lacking.
The Pakistan jail episode, in particular, feels underwhelming. A stronger establishment of the love story could have elevated the film further. Additionally, the 151-minute runtime works against it. There is a solid need for trimming and the jail episode needs to be trimmed.
That being said, Thandel successfully builds an immersive world and makes excellent use of Naga Chaitanya’s acting abilities. While Chandoo Mondeti shines as a director, the storytelling could have been more refined to make the film a super hit.
Verdict: Overall Thandel is a decent romantic drama that has great performances. But the pace is slow and jail episodes are dull. However, the solid music and emotions keep you at bay and make this film decent.
Bottom Line: Naga Chaitanya’s career-best
Rating: 2.5/5
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