A still from the movie.

Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Ssara Palekar, Subbaraju, Saurabh Sachdeva, Mahesh Manjrekar, Venkatesh Kakumanu

Director: Shashank Yeleti

Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Fahadh Faasil has already shown Telugu audiences that he can have fun with unusual characters. His eccentric cop in the Pushpa franchise worked because the character had attitude, madness and plenty of entertainment value. Sadly, Don’t Trouble The Trouble gives him very little to work with.

Fahadh plays an ambulance driver who is street-smart, greedy and always looking for an easy way to make money. He gets into trouble after coming across a mysterious girl with supernatural powers, and from there, his life takes an unexpected turn. On paper, it sounds like the kind of quirky fantasy story that could have been fun. On screen, unfortunately, it is anything but.

The film starts with Fahadh getting a typical Telugu hero introduction as an ambulance driver. We quickly understand that he is not exactly an honest man and is desperate to arrange ₹25 lakh. This portion sets up the conflict, but there is nothing particularly fresh or exciting about it. It feels like we have seen this kind of setup many times before.

Then comes Ssara Palekar as the mysterious girl. This is where the film should have really taken off. But the mystery surrounding her never becomes interesting enough. The film keeps telling us that something unusual is happening, but it rarely makes us curious enough to care.

The biggest disappointment is the emotional relationship between Fahadh and the girl. This should have been the heart of the film. Instead, it feels forced and fails to create any genuine emotional connection. When the story eventually reveals more about the girl and her past, the moment lands with a whimper rather than a bang.

The kidnapping track doesn't help either. Neither does the police angle involving Subbaraju or Fahadh's repeated attempts to escape with the money bag. These portions are supposed to create tension and excitement, but most of them feel outdated and predictable. At several points, you may find yourself wondering why the characters are behaving the way they are.

The problem ultimately comes down to the story. A small-time con man gets involved with a spirit who wants his help in finding her missing parents. That's essentially the film's central idea. There is nothing wrong with a simple premise, but it needs to be developed with imagination. Here, the screenplay struggles to find enough material to keep the story moving.

Fahadh, as usual, brings his own energy to the character. But this is one of those films where even a performer of his calibre cannot completely lift the material. The supporting actors too have little opportunity to make an impact.

Director Shashank Yeleti tries to mix fantasy with a commercial Telugu setup, but the combination never really clicks. The film needed either more humour, more magic or, most importantly, an emotional reason for us to care about these characters. It doesn't provide enough of any of them.

There are a few decent moments, but they are too few and far between. As the film progresses, the story becomes increasingly tedious, and the fantasy element that should have been its biggest strength becomes its biggest weakness.

Kaala Bhairava’s music is underwhelming. Brad Francis’ cinematography is adequate, though the visuals don’t add much to the film’s appeal.

Don’t Trouble The Trouble may have Fahadh Faasil at the centre and some big names backing it, but the film itself offers very little trouble for the characters and far too much trouble for the audience. What could have been an entertaining fantasy adventure ends up being a long, tiring watch.


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