Telugu audiences got so deprived of quality humour in recent years that most of us almost forgot to appreciate genuinely funny entertainers. Such good comedies do more than make you smile, they keep you hooked till the end despite their predictability.
Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s DJ Tillu, the latest madcap comedy, is filled with loads of fun and quirky characters that it deserves a red carpet reception. The plot of the film is not witty but has everything it needs for a youthful entertainer. It is a rare film without too many characters – not even a sidekick for the protagonist. The screenplay focuses only on the two lead actors but manages to entertain us with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and witty one-liners, seldom deviating from its core plot.
The Vimal Krishna directorial presents Siddhu as Bal Gangadhar Tilak alias DJ Tillu, a happy-go-lucky youngster from the bylanes of Malkajgiri, who performs at local weddings, bonalu, and saree functions in flashy colourful outfits. He falls head-over-heels in love with singer Radhika (Neha Shetty) and his happiness is short-lived as he finds himself embroiled in a murder case.
DJ Tillu works primarily because it’s a smartly written film that moves briskly from one gag to another, leaving you with hardly any time to stop and ponder. Although you can trace back several of the jokes to a few yesteryear blockbusters, it’s the way in which they come together in the screenplay deserves credit.
Siddhu Jonnalagadda looks the part and his energy adds a lot of layers to the character. Neha Shetty does a decent job of playing a deceitful girlfriend with big aspirations. Murali, who played Tillu’s father amps up the fun quotient with his Hyderabadi dialect, while Brahmaji makes his presence felt as a halfwit cop.
Ram Miriyala’s Tillu Anna DJ Pedithe, which has become viral among the youth, lives up to the expectations, and SS Thaman’s background score accentuates the drama. A little over two hours, there’s so much to like about DJ Tillu and one can give it a try for Siddhu’s spectacular performance and clever writing.
DJ Tillu
Cast: Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Neha Shetty, Brahmaji
Director: Vimal Krishna
Rating: 3/5