Nagarjuna always walks in the way of winning the audience because of his self-deprecated experience. Being such a big star, that’s a tricky tight-rope to walk here in Tollywood, but Nag really manages it well with the skill and fearlessness like a ‘King‘ irrespective of the success or failure. After the poetic Manam about rebirths, he brings this time a festive fantasy package with Soggade Chinni Nayana in an impressive dual role – as Bangarraju, a careless village philanderer and Ramu, a renowned states Doctor.
Beneath all of his innocent good-boy gimmick, Ramu always looks like a pretty conventional moralist. But Bangarraju gives his raunchy rom-com enough of his signature spikiness to prevent it from ever feeling bored. In a way, Nag has created a decidedly new kind of screwball image which makes you fall in love with him twice, yes, you love both the characters. He mesmerizes with the exquisite Godavari accent and the elegant screen presence. When he walks by wearing black Ray-Ban glasses & white ‘panchekattu’ outfit with serene smile on face, it’s impossible to take your eyes off him, there’s no chance to drop your eyelids until he goes out of the frame. Such a saucy handsome minx to lure women on the screen, and off the screen.
Ramya Krishna, a virtuous traditional wife with the milk-foamy smile whose collyrium-eyes look like sea-shells with the black outlining, a red sticker amidst her eyebrows seems as the shimmering sun between two hills, blazes in the role of Satthemma. As a fan, it was treat to see her splatter the romance with her supreme performance. The chemistry of Bangarraju-Satthema is the winsome element to sell the film out. Just Nag and Ramya are as powerful as the snake on the auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri, rest of the actors doesn’t shine in their respective characters as much as the gold ornaments of Lord Shiva in the last act. Even Anushka’s cameo is a lameo.
On a mythological condition, Ramya Krishna and Brahmanandam do only hear Nagarjuna as Bangarraju is a soul in film. Similarly, music director and director can only hear the background score because it’s such a soulless noise from Anu Rubens that everyone gets pissed off, and fails to elevate many key areas of the film. Hell is VFX and VFX is hell. The first half is almost smooth & tight like that holy thread around their wrists, but the predictable narrative opens the gate that detaches its thread along the way of its second half a bit.
Soggade Chinni Nayana isn’t so great as it subverts its subplot predictable that ends up formulaically, but some feel-good moments implied in its funny setup nourish this typical family entertainer delightfully. It’s a simple story told in an old-fashioned way, yet the treatment given to the theme doesn’t let me distracted, which ultimately turns it a satisfying watch to breath fresh air under the tree of Sankranthi after the three heavy intakes of the vehicle’s smoke sequentially.
Nagarjuna is not just the soul in the film, but also the soul of the film. Once Bangarraju’s soul is sent back to earth, his earth shattering performance solely rules the movie. Go for Nag.
My Rating: 2.5/5
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