Anaganaga Oka Raju Movie Review: Relies on Gags to Deliver Banal Fare
In the age of memes and social media trolls, jokes alone are not enough to keep audiences glued to their seats.
Cast: Naveen Polishetty, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Rao Ramesh, Chamak Chandra, Goparaju, Mahesh
Director: Maari
Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Young actor Naveen Polishetty, who impressed audiences with his comic timing in Jathi Ratnalu, once again attempts a comedy caper with Anaganaga Oka Raju. While the film provides him ample scope to showcase his humour and punchlines, most of the gags feel routine and eventually fall flat. Naveen also turns writer with this film, stuffing the narrative with innumerable jokes while completely neglecting emotional depth, which is essential to make a wholesome entertainer.
In the age of memes and social media trolls, jokes alone are not enough to keep audiences glued to their seats. Though Naveen and Meenakshi Chaudhary make a charming on-screen pair, their love story is hurried and underdeveloped. The narrative suddenly shifts gears when Naveen’s character jumps into village politics and contests for the post of president. While the film takes occasional potshots at the political class, it never explores the idea meaningfully.
The wafer-thin plot revolves around a good-for-nothing youngster from a poor zamindar family who tries to woo a wealthy zamindar’s daughter (Meenakshi). Predictably, he faces obstacles. With such a familiar setup, Naveen carries the film with his energy and jokes, but the proceedings soon become repetitive and lose steam.
The song Bhimavaram Balma stands out with its colourful visuals and energetic choreography. As a new-age actor, Naveen incorporates contemporary slang like vibes, reels, candid photos, Instagram, and social media references, but the film lacks a trendy plot to justify these modern touches.
The film opens with Naveen dreaming of stepping out of a helicopter after a luxury shopping spree, only to wake up to a harsh reality of poverty in a dilapidated house. His character aspires to marry into wealth and sets his sights on Meenakshi after spotting her at a grand function. Their whirlwind romance leads to wedding plans, only for Naveen to be jolted by an unexpected truth.
Naveen Polishetty is effective in light-hearted roles and once again livens up the screen with his swag and humour. However, even his charm cannot salvage the weak story, especially as the second half drags. Meenakshi Chaudhary looks pretty and performs adequately. Rao Ramesh, Chamak Chandra, and Goparaju are passable in their roles.
Director Maari handles the proceedings competently, but Naveen, who also penned the script and screenplay, should have opted for a fresher, new-age storyline instead of rehashing themes reminiscent of old Rajendra Prasad films AA Okkati Adakku. The result is a disappointing entertainer that fails to rise above clichés.