Movie review: ABCD (American Born Confused Desi)

Director: Sanjeev Reddy

Cast: Allu Sirish, Rushkar Dhillon, Bharath, Naga Babu, Raja, Vennela Kishore and others

After a long gap Allu Sirish’s film ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) has released. This is a remake of a Mala-yalam hit film with the same title and with Dulquer Salman playing the leading role.

Sanjeev Reddy directs this Telugu version. Madhura Sridhar and Yash Rangineni are the producers.

Aravind (Allu Sirish) is born and brought up in America and doesn’t know the value of money. His father (Naga Babu) wants to teach him the value of money, so he sends his son to India for a month-long vacation.

It’s only when Aravind swipes his cash cards and they don’t work that he realises his father’s intention in sending him to India. His father sends him `5,000 and tells him he must manage his expenses with that amount.

Aravind and his friend Basha (Bharath) rent a small house in a slum area. He joins a college for his MBA and after a few incidents he becomes quite popular. He supports people from his locality for a cause and for that he has to take the support of a young politician.

The film is basically about how Aravind lives in India on a shoestring budget and what challenges he faces in the end.

The theme of a rich father teaching his son the value of money is not new in Telugu cinema. The makers of the Telugu film have merely bought the rights of a Malayalam hit film and changed a few things here and there to suit the local milieu.

Though it’s an interesting plot with loads of entertainment, director Sanjeev Reddy fails to make the most of it. He takes his own time to establish how the protagonist and his friend suffered in the slum area. The political part of the plot is uninteresting and there is no life or feeling in any of the scenes between Aravind and his girlfriend, or when he tries to support the local people for a cause or in the climax. The only saving grace is Vennela Kishore who provides some entertainment, but his role is very short. The story is completely predictable and the narration is also a bit boring. The film is supposed to be a full-on entertainer, but the director has just not delivered.

Allu Sirish looks good as a rich kid, but he has to improve his comic timing. His role requires a lot of energy and though he tries his best, he is not convincing in some scenes.

Bharath is just okay as his friend. Rushkar Dhillon is the female lead but we see little of her. The character of the young politician played by Raja is not conceived well and is not connected to the story.

Vennela Kishore as the TV news anchor provides some relief with his comic act, but his role too is limited.

The music and cinematography are average and the dialogues not very entertaining.

ABCD is not a good remake. Except for Vennela Kishore, the film offers nothing. Though it’s a good plot it is badly handled and ends like a dull drama.