Release Date : October 20, 2023
cinemaabazar.com Rating : 2.50/5
Starring: Ravi Teja, Anupam Kher, Murali Sharma, Nupur Sanon, Gayatri Bharadwaj, Renu Desai, Jisshu Sengupta
Director: Vamsee
Producer: Abhishek Agarwal
Music Director: GV Prakash Kumar
Cinematographers: R. Madhi
Editor: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja has now come up with the biggest film of his career, Tiger Nageswara Rao. The movie is based on a few real-life events which happened in Andhra Pradesh during the 1970s. Directed by Vamsee, the film hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
The film opens with IB Chief Raghavendra Rajput (Anupam Kher) conducting a meeting with a few officials regarding the security concerns of the Indian Prime Minister. Raghavendra Rajput says that PM has a threat from Tiger Nageswara Rao (Ravi Teja), a ruthless criminal. Vishwanath Sastry (Murali Sharma), a Police officer, explains how Tiger Nageswara Rao became a criminal. The second hour of the film shows the other angle of the dacoit.
Plus Points:
Biopics, indeed, are a bit risky in mainstream cinema. But the makers of Tiger Nageswara Rao surprised one and all by making a film on Tiger Nageswara Rao, a dacoit. The effort that has gone into the research is impressive. The detailing is effective in this period action drama. What actually made Tiger Nageswara Rao a crook? How did he commit the crimes with such finesse? How did he become a pain in the neck for the entire police department? All this has been shown in a very neat manner.
Ravi Teja has never failed as an actor, and he brings his A-game to the film. He got into the shoes of Tiger Nageswara Rao effectively and delivered a spectacular performance. Pulling off a grey-shaded character is never an easy task, but Mass Maharaja did that with utmost conviction. He has put his blood, sweat, and tears into the movie.
Anupam Kher, Jisshu Sengupta, and Nassar did a very fine job. Renu Desai was good in her limited role. Nupur Sanon and Gayatri Bharadwaj pass muster. Their roles also were integral to the story. The film’s first half was quite engaging, with interesting moments. The enmity between Ravi Teja, and Jisshu Sengupta, and Harish Peradi was shown convincingly.
Minus Points:
The second half actually had good moments, but the lengthy runtime is the key concern. Before the release, there was a lot of talk about the same, and unfortunately, the runtime restricted the impact. There are decent emotional blocks, but they are watered down by stretched and over-the-top action blocks. The excessive violence might not sit well with a few sections of the audience, and the makers should have toned down the brutality.
The narrative is inconsistent in the second hour. While the first hour showcases how Nageswara Rao committed crimes, the latter half depicts his redemption. The movie also talks about how Stuartpuram was labeled as a dangerous place and how the residents there were denied opportunities to grow in life. This actually had a lot of scope, but as mentioned earlier, the lengthy action blocks outweigh the good aspects.
The authenticity remains unknown for biopics, and hence, it will be best if a few unnecessary elements are avoided. There will be a hue and cry if certain sensitive topics are touched upon. Tiger Nageswara Rao robbing from PM’s residence and the Prime Minister supporting him over the end looked a bit exaggerated. Too many cinematic liberties were taken.
Technical Aspects:
GV Prakash Kumar did a decent job with the songs and background score. A few songs were passable, but a few were not good. The cinematography by Madhie was exquisite. VFX works are a big letdown. The action blocks that portray how Tiger Nageswara Rao committed crimes are well crafted, but the poor visual effects limit the impact. The editing was fine in the first hour. However, a few redundant scenes could have been trimmed down in the last hour.
Coming to the director, Vamsee, he did an okay job with the film. He has put very good effort in terms of research. What actually made the people in Stuartpuram become burglars was conveyed well. The first half was fast-paced and engrossing, but the second half could have been handled in a better manner. The second half is the heart of the film but the lengthy runtime and a few cliches dampen the overall experience.
Verdict:
On the whole, Tiger Nageswara Rao is a film that tells us about an infamous dacoit and how he brought a change in the lives of the Stuartpuram people. The story is good, and Ravi Teja is at his absolute best in the film. The first half was engaging, but things slowed down in the second hour. The intent was honest to tell an unknown story, but a few aspects are exaggerated, and the VFX works were below-par. If you could sit through the lengthy runtime, Tiger Nageswara Rao will be an okay watch this weekend.
