Direct online releases have become the order of the day, and films premiering on OTT are marketed as ‘theatre at your home’ experiences.
Director Vijay Kumar Konda, however, has chosen to surprise the audience by presenting a snail-paced soap opera instead of the romcom Orey Bujjiga was touted to be.
Incessant closeup shots, random footages of the cast doing trivial activities, a heavy makeup sporting villainess with over the top expressions, prompting music that cries for attention — the film ticks every quintessential teleserial checkbox.
WATCH TRAILER:
Raj Tarun’s Srinivas (a) Bujji, during a conversation with his mother, urges her not to make any hasty conclusions by saying, “Would you review a film just by watching the trailer?” I decided to take his advice also and keep from making any judgements on this film till the end card.
Alas! This only meant seeing my limited hopes die a slow death with every scene. Bujji runs away from home fearing marriage and is presumed to be in a hideout. But he does the most obvious thing: stays with his friends.
A phone call is all it would have taken to find him, but his family instead spends the entire first half simply hoping for his return without putting in the least effort. Malavika Nair’s Krishnaveni, who also runs away on the day of her wedding, goes a step further and posts location updates on Facebook! I know we mustn’t look for much logic in a ‘fun romantic entertainer’, but how far can you stretch that? Even a five-year-old could spot the loopholes in Orey Bujjiga.
‘Boy meets girl, and they fall in love while faking their identities’ stories have classically proven to be minimum-guarantee entertainers. Even if they don’t amuse you every time, they generally don’t leave you fidgety. But the lethargic writing of Orey Bujjiga keeps you squirming for most of its runtime. Despite an able lineup of actors, all performances end up resembling those of overenthusiastic extras who go overboard to establish their presence.
The supposedly comical oneliners and slapstick acts fall flat too. Sapthagiri is the only actor who manages to evoke giggles and sell the OTT comedy efficiently. Unfortunately, he is limited to only a couple of scenes. In the opening scene, Bujji bafflingly compares his story to Usain Bolt’s and teases the audience saying they will figure out for themselves the reason for the comparison. I was waiting patiently for the director to return to this Bolt reference, at least during the climax, only to be disappointed. In retrospect, this wasn’t my biggest regret with the film.
Orey Bujjiga
Cast: Raj Tarun, Hebah Patel, Malavika Nair
Director: Vijay Kumar Konda