Telugu cinema has churned out thrillers like 118, Evaru, Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya, Ninu Veedani Needanu Nene, Game Over and Rakshasudu among others last year. None, however, is as lurid as Naga Shaurya-starrer Aswathama. Designed from cliched tropes of suspense thrillers, the film falls short of expectations as it is ultimately weighed down by its choppy editing and inconsistent screenplay. The film itself is hard to define because you are not quite sure what to make of it. Certainly, it’s a thriller on one level, but for it to be called a thriller it’s a big let-down because it’s completely predictable and doesn’t once take you by surprise. It’s also meant to be a family drama on another level but lacks the emotional heft towards the protagonist or the antagonist to carry the show.
In this film set in Visakhapatnam, Naga Shaurya plays an NRI, Gana, who returns to India for his sister, Priya’s (Sargun Kaur Luthra) wedding. Just days before she exchanges wedding vows with Ravi (Prince Cecil), she attempts to end her life after realising that she is pregnant, but is clueless how! From its opening scene – in which a young woman is kidnapped by four fishermen – a pall of gloom casts over the film. Minutes later, our fears come true when another young woman (the protagonist’s sister) tries to commit suicide.
Even more disturbing is the scene of a young woman landing on a car after falling from the top of a hospital building. It’s heartbreaking but equally surprising that her father decides to rest his case without even bothering to listen to Gana. However, Gana will not let it go and he decides to connect the dots to find out why his sister and several other young women go missing. When they regain consciousness, they find themselves in a hospital.
Aswathama sticks to a template similar to Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas’s Rakshasudu but doesn’t drum up the same urgency. From a structural perspective, it is an eccentric story blended with hackneyed and cardboard characters. The film is shot decently and propels on a predictable plotline, filled with glaring plot holes. It moves at a decent pace, yet hardly allows the viewers to invest in any aspect of the narrative. The problem lies in the screenplay and the film then rests squarely on the shoulders of its protagonist to make up for its many shortcomings.
I still wonder how the Censor Board which clamps down heavily on gruesome violence usually, has cleared a film like this (with U/A certificate), which only glorifies violence and brutal killings to this extent. Shaurya, who turned story writer with this film, might look like an amateurish storyteller, but he has got talent when it comes to scripting a refreshing storyline and creating a look for his film.
The young actor, who was seen in boy-next-door looks in his earlier films, has reinvented himself in a serious role and has worked on his looks, body language and physique for this film. As the story is inspired by true incidents, he perhaps couldn’t detach from that emotion. He is at home donning the hats of a lead actor and writer at the same time.
Jisshu Sengupta takes centre stage with a spine chilling performance as the unhinged antagonist, whose pathological behaviour to impregnate women places him on the list of Telugu cinema’s most creepy psychopaths. Mehreen doesn’t get much scope to establish herself in this film and yet she looks at ease in songs. Newcomer Sargun Kaur Luthra makes a confident debut in a brief role. The others in the cast are perfunctorily there, only to help Shaurya achieve his goal.
Ghibran’s background score elevates the viewing experience to an extent, but editing by Garry could have been crisper. The action sequences, consisting of fistfights and kicks that have been composed by stunt masters Anbarivu standout. Overall, Aswathama is a tough watch and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted as some scenes take longer than expected to get them out of your head. If you are longing to watch a film for its thrills and twists, this one comes up short.
Direction: Ramana Teja Film: Aswathama Cast: Naga Shaurya, Mehreen, Jisshu Sengupta |