Film: Ami Thumi
Cast: Adivi Sesh, Avasarala Srinivas, Aditi Myakal, Eesha Rebba, Vennela Kishore
Director: Indraganti Mohankrishna
Rating: 3.5/5
It’s been a while since Tollywood has seen a comedy that entertains without bordering on offence. To make that happen while not compromising on, and in fact, using the plot is quite a feat. And with Ami Thumi, Indraganti makes it seem easy too. The loud characters and the over-the-top execution surprisingly don’t make you cringe. The film comes together as a joy ride with all the lead actors performing admirably. Vennela Kishore, especially, steals the show with his timing and presence.
The story goes thus. Deepika (Eesha Debba), a rich young girl, is in love with Ananth ( Adivi Sesh), a sales manager. Her father, Janardhan (Tanikella Bharani), however, wants her to marry a rich tycoon, Sri Chilipi (Vennela Kishore). Meanwhile, Vijay (Avasarala Srinivas), Deepika’s brother, is love with Maya, but she will marry him only with her father's approval. Alas, her father and Janardhan are business rivals and hate each other’s guts. Caught in this deadlock, Deepika devises a plan which throws everybody involved into a frenzy of mistaken identity. It's a laugh riot that keeps you cracking up right until the end credits.
Though a slapstick comedy, the action takes a while to get used to, at least till you get comfortable. While the first half of the film is spent establishing the characters, the real fun starts in the second when all hell breaks loose. Although the screenplay isn't racy, the witty writing makes it enjoyable. There may not be memorable punch lines, but the situational humour and the throwaway improvisations stand out.
Each actor in the film has at least a little moment of glory, including newbie Aditi Myakal and comedy-novice Adivi Sesh. Eesha is easy on the camera, with her Telangana slang adding zing to her character. Tanikella Bharani and Avasarala Srinivas are at their comic best. Shyamala, who must be considered among the leads, is perfect as Kumari. Vennela Kishore, who gets the most screen time, emerges the biggest winner. Everything he does or says makes you laugh.
Throughout the movie, references to Ashta Chamma are unmissable. Not just with dialogues like “aa peru lo matthu undi” or the introduction of a certain Sarva Mangala Sastry (Tanikella Bharani’s character in the 2008 film), but also in the good ol‘ clean comedy that the former became famous for.
Ami Thumi is a two-hours-and-five-minutes-long joy ride.