Director Ravi Teja Mullapudi’s Mechanic Rocky is a paradox: a quirky ride that demands your patience and tests your endurance. But if you hold on until the end, the payoff might just leave you grinning. The makers had promoted that the film is going to come with a twist, that it’s genre is deceiving from the trailers. It’s true, the film offers a lot more than you expect. The film’s essence is in its surprises, it’s much more than the mass entertainer it pretends to be.
At first glance, you expect a conventional, high-octane action film, but as the narrative unfolds, it takes an unexpected twist which doesn’t just refresh you but redefines the entire experience. Yet, this entails navigating a loop of borderline cringe-worthy comedy and aimless romance. Is the risk worth it?
Rakesh aka Rocky (Vishwak Sen) is an engineering dropout who works in his father’s garage and passes through life, one song after another. One day, the garage falls under threat of extortion from a local gangster, Ranki Reddy (Sunil). That triggers a whole game of mishaps for Rocky, putting him at the receiving end of a crime. How he navigates the threat and saves himself and the garage forms the plot.
Mechanic Rocky is not the kind of film that can be boxed in one genre. It begins as a typical entertainer but as it progresses, the narrative nosedives. There’s too much happening and most things going wrong for our protagonist. A losing protagonist doesn’t always work for the general audiences. For much of the runtime, you’re watching a series of mishaps unfold, wondering if the film even has a direction. Thankfully, the plot pulls a rabbit out of the hat at the nth hour, it makes you appreciate the journey you’ve been on.
The major problem is, until the cards are unveiled the film puts you through a lot of misery in the name of comedy and romance. The first half bombards you with repetitive gags and awkward romantic exchanges between Rocky and Priya (Meenaakshi Chaudhary).
These scenes, supposed to charm, often fall flat, eating up screen time. The humor feels forced, almost making you question the film’s very premise. Yet, there’s a method to this madness.
Much of the silliness is tied to the eventual reveal, and in hindsight, the chaotic narrative pieces fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Like the farcical family introduction scene, you wouldn’t expect a scene like that to come around and produce narrative satisfaction. But it does. The writers Ravi Teja Mullapudi and Rao P Shetty deserve credits for blending farce and thrill together. That’s not an easy feat.
All the actors deliver what’s been given to them. Shraddha Srinath brings depth to an otherwise underwritten role, leaving you wishing for a better backstory. Meenakshi Chaudhary’s Priya feels crucial but underutilised, adding little beyond her scenes with Rocky.
Jakes Bejoy’s music is hit-or-miss but does add some funky flair that complements the film’s offbeat vibe. But the most exciting technical work in the film are the cinematography by Manojh Reddy and editing by Anwar Ali. The editing, with its quirky match cuts and screen splits, keeps you engaged even when the plot falters.
Vishwak Sen may not be a strong performer, but he knows what he is doing. In the final scene, he cheekily asks the villain, “Just a guy from Malakpet executing a plan like this, you never expected right?” It’s a nod not just to the antagonist but to the audience, who might have underestimated him all this while. We don’t expect him to deliver high because of his loud statements but most times, he comes around with films with a surprising element.
Vishwak Sen convinces you that he is just a loudspeaking youngster but there’s always a stronger knack for craft and writing. His choices in cinema might end up forming one of the most diverse filmographies for a contemporary Telugu actor. It’s delightful to witness a young actor who knows his guns and how to use them well.
What’s fascinating about Mechanic Rocky is its self-awareness. The film knows it is treading risky ground, blending genres and juggling tones. No wonder, this film’s marketing strategy was compared to Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja. But does it pay off? Mostly, yes.
The film sets your expectations so low with its initial silliness that when the twist lands, it feels like a masterstroke. However, this reliance on twists is a double-edged sword. Without them, the film offers little beyond technical finesse and a few clever moments. It’s a trick that works best when you go in expecting very little.
Mechanic Rocky is an exercise in patience, but if you stick with it, the reward is a surprisingly clever film that defies expectations. It’s a risky venture that almost overstays its welcome but redeems itself in the final act. Not every twist justifies the journey, but when it does, you leave the theater with a smile, grateful for the ride, bumps and all.
Mechanic Rocky
Cast: Vishwak Sen, Shraddha Srinath, Meenaakshi Chaudhary, Vishwadev Rachakonda, Naresh, Sunil, Director: Ravi Teja Mullapudi