Suhas Sistu

Aftera long interval, Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja is back with a film that prioritizes performances and emotional quotient over formulaic potboilers. Irumudi, a directorial venture from Shiva Nirvana, marks Ravi Teja’s return to the big screen in style. Starring Priya Bhavani Shankar and Baby Nakshatra in prominent roles, the film combines a devotional angle with family drama and crime elements. More significantly, Irumudi delivers on its promise of being an entertaining showcase of the actor’s prowess as a storyteller.

Story

Trinadh (Ravi Teja) is an Ayyappa Swamy devotee and owns a banana plantation in Polluru. He is deeply fond of his daughter Manemma. In fact, Manemma narrates every incident that occurs in her life to her father. But everything changes when she, along with other girls from the village, goes to a nearby village for her studies. The developments lead Trinadh down a fateful path that eventually takes him on a rollercoaster ride of crime and family drama.

Performances

The highlight of Irumudi is undoubtedly Ravi Teja’s performance. As the Mass Maharaja sheds off his larger than life image, the actor displays shades of a multi-talented hero that we have been seeing in rare screens in recent times. Ravi Teja’s emotional range deserves immense applause as he manages to leave an indelible mark on the audiences’ minds. The star’s pairing with Baby Nakshatra is yet another strong aspect of the film, as both display realistic father-daughter bonding onscreen. Baby’s performance is indeed a standout as she manages to slip into the skin of her character and perform realistically throughout the film. In addition to Baby Nakshatra, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Sai Kumar, Ramesh Indira, and others have excelled in their respective roles.

Technicalities

Shiva Nirvana must be praised for delivering a film that does not veer towards commercialism. In fact, the Ninnu Kori director manages to keep the narrative engaging without deviating from the core theme. The film’s emotional and intense sequences are beautifully portrayed, aided by GV Prakash Kumar’s music and background score. Similarly, cinematographer Vishnu Sharma captures the beauty of the locales, especially the hills of Sileru, to perfection. The other technical departments, including production design and editing, are equally impressive.

Analysis

The film’s first-half runs on a slightly slower note. Also, the second half lacks in certain areas, which is apparent in the meandering narrative. Additionally, certain developments in the crime and mystery departments seem cliched and predictable. However, such drawbacks are negligible in the larger scheme of things.

The father and daughter’s equation is portrayed beautifully, as is the emotional quotient in the story. Irumudi is a feel-good film, which delivers what it promises to deliver. Ravi Teja is certainly back in the race with a stellar performance that has the potential to change the perception of him being only a mass entertainer.