As time passes on, it’s important for people to move forward in the way they think and perceive the world. Gopala Gopala robustly sends this message across. The film mocks age-old myths,superstitions and blind beliefs and questions the way people worship God. It also dismisses and berates fake godmen, who profit at the expense of their faith and presents compelling, logical arguments for the viewers to brood upon, making it a completely worthwhile experience.
Directed by Kishore Kumar, Gopala Gopala, the remake of Hindi film Oh My God! revolves around Gopala Rao (Venkatesh, an atheist who’s vexed at the senseless superstitions of the god-fearing people and the lengths that they go to show their faith and loyalty to the almighty, including his wife Meenakshi (Shriya). When he learns that his devoted wife and son were at a religious gathering and were about to walk over fire (considered to be a good omen), an enraged Gopala barges in and whisks them away. Infuriated by his act, Godman Siddheshwar Maharaj (Posani Krishna Murali) warns him of extreme consequences. Soon enough, earthquake strikes and Gopala Rao’s shop, which sells idols of Gods and Goddesses, is destroyed, making him bankrupt. People pin the blame on his lack of faith and believe it to be a punishment by speaking against God. An unconvinced Gopala seeks to claim insurance, but is left shell-shocked when the company refuses to compensate for his damages by claiming it had been done by an ‘Act of God’. Left with no other option and determined to win back his money, Gopala decides to sue God. His single-handed battle against God and his deceiving messengers (masterminded by Mithun Chakravarthi) and how he finally finds God in the process, makes for the rest of the story.
The script largely sticks to the original and makes for compelling viewing. Jayanan Vincent’s cinematography is efficient and Anup Roobens does a fine job with the music. The biggest takeway from the film is it’s dialogues, which are powerful and top-notch. The film, however, does seem to stretch on for a while and some of the scenes look forced and it seems as though they have been included only to give more screen space to Pawan Kalyan. Gautham Raju’s editing leaves a lot to be desired. Also, the makers try too hard to drive the message him, by repeating the same thing all over again. The heart and soul of the film is Venkatesh, who does a phenomenal job as the atheist who questions the very existence of God, sues him and yet eventually finds him in the process. His expressions are flawless and the actor carries the film on his shoulders. He is well supported by fan-favourite Pawan Kalyan, who effortlessly breezes through the film. Pawan’s grand, dramatic entry is one of the high points of the film and is a treat for his fans. Shriya is reduced to a brief role but does an adequate job. Mithun Chakraborty fares well as the fake godman, but his inexplicable body language is repulsive to say the least. Posani Krishna Murali impresses as his explosive sidekick, while Ashish Vidyarthi is wasted in an inconsequential role. Despite a couple of aberrations, Gopala Gopala impresses, entertains and keeps the audience glued right till the end. It also leaves the viewer thinking, which is a rarity in the modern-day Telugu film industry. It may not have over-the-top action sequences and multiple songs at exotic locales but it’s certainly worth a watch.