Movie: Goodachari
Cast: Adivi Sesh, Sobitha Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, Supriya, Jagapathi Babu
Direction:Sashi Kiran Tikka
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Adivi Sesh’s Goodachari has all the riveting elements of an espionage thriller – spine-chilling action sequences, credible performances and exotic locales. The film details the journey of Gopi aka Arjun Kumar (Adivi Sesh), son of a slain RAW agent, who aspires to serve the nation like his father. He was raised by his uncle, Satya (Prakash Raj) with a sense of fear of losing him.But Arjun, haunted by his father’s death, makes 174 futile attempts before living his dream of being a RAW agent. In a kind of love-at-first-sight moment, romance blossoms between him and Dr Sameera Rao (Sobhita Dhulipala), who also helps him regain his focus on his goal.
From this point, the film depicts how Arjun goes from an amateur to a super-slick agent. Director Sashi Kiran Tikka presents the slightest sense of what defines Arjun and what his strengths are among his counterparts, who are part of the team Trinetra that works under the direct command of the Prime Minister.
When everything seems to be going right, an unexpected turn of events shock Arjun landing him in a mess with his own department, which suspects him of being a double agent. How he finds a way out of this fiasco is the heart of Goodachari.
Sesh, who also penned the story with Sashi Kiran and Rahul Pakala hit the right notes and has evolved masterfully as an exquisite writer with his every film. Packed with so many unexpected twists and unwavering attention to detail, the film will keep you on your toes and works as a classy thriller sucking you into its drama. There is genuine intrigue in these moments as the narrative hardly loses its grip on your attention. The nail-biting screenplay also makes up for a few plot holes that posed a minor threat to eat into this otherwise engaging story. The terrorist group which hatches a plot to kill a central government official, and their decision to frame an officer by doing a thorough background check paints a realistic feel.
The film, however, brings a silly grin on your face for showing RAW in more or less insignificant part as the protagonist turning a victim of the terrorist trap tries to retaliate by exploring the possible situation himself.
Sesh never misses a beat and brings credibility to the part. His committed performance is the film’s biggest strength. From dialogue delivery to looks, he is riveting as Arjun, the new-found James Bond of Telugu cinema. The comeback star, Surpriya leaves a mark with her nuanced portrayal as Nadia Qureshi. Jagapathi Babu is first-rate, while Prakash Raj and Anish Kuruvilla’s show is delightful. Vennela Kishore provides breezy wit and Madhu Shalini serves little purpose as a damsel in distress.
Armed with Shaneil Deo’s stunning camerawork and Sricharan Pakala’s rousing background score that never drift away from the storytelling, Sashi Kiran makes an impressive debut with a story that is both thrilling and engaging. As is the norm with most espionage thrillers, Goodachari, too, ends with a hint about a sequel.
— Murali Krishna CH
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