Funky Movie Review: This film tells the story of how to make a bad film
Funky Movie Review(1 / 5)
Actor Vishwak Sen is in dire need of a commercial break. For the last few years, he has been trying hard to score one, and all his hopes were pinned on director Anudeep KV's Funky. In fact, before the release, Vishwak Sen confidently stated that he had changed a lot as an actor and that he treated this film like his debut. Sadly, those statements remained mere words as Funky makes it clear that nothing really changed.
On the other hand, director Anudeep, who enjoys immense popularity on social media, is also desperate for a solid hit. After Jathi Ratnalu became a blockbuster, Anudeep faced disappointment with Sivakarthikeyan's Prince.
In Funky, Anudeep presents the protagonist as a struggling filmmaker trying to complete his movie. If you have watched Anudeep’s interviews, you know his one-liners and comic timing often go viral. It appears he assumed that what works in interviews would also work on the big screen. But cinema doesn’t function on isolated jokes. It needs a story, a flow, relatable characters, and structured narration. Unfortunately, Anudeep ignores all of this and strings together a series of jokes — which he perhaps found funny — but the audience clearly doesn’t.
Kayadu Lohar makes her return to Telugu cinema as the female lead after a break, following her success in the Tamil film, Dragon.
Director: Anudeep KV
Cast: Vishwak Sen, Kayadu Lohar, VK Naresh, Muralidhar Goud, Eswari Rao, and others
There isn’t much story to talk about. Komal (Vishwak Sen) is a struggling film director trying to complete his movie. Due to budget overruns, he asks the producer (VK Naresh) for additional funds. Shocked by the escalating budget, the producer refuses. His daughter Chitra (Kayadu Lohar) then steps in to supervise the project and ensure its completion. Komal falls in love with Chitra, and how he finally finishes the film forms the rest of the narrative.
Usually, when a director delivers a flop, he works harder to redeem himself with the next film. Sadly, Anudeep seems to have learned nothing from his previous failure. Funky relies entirely on outdated social-media jokes and random one-liners. The film opens with a barrage of bad jokes, and even after 15–20 minutes, there’s no sign of a story kicking in. The narration continues in the same irritating fashion.
The plot moves nowhere. Komal demands ₹4 crore more from the producer, gets thrown out, and then conveniently convinces the producer’s daughter that he can finish the film with just ₹1 crore. What follows are unnecessary songs, forced comedy scenes, and cringeworthy cameos by Dil Raju and Naga Vamsi, which add absolutely nothing to the film.
The so-called comic villain track featuring a completely miscast Sampath Raj is painfully awkward. The interval 'twist,' which Anudeep probably thought was a major shock, falls flat.
Post-interval, the ordeal continues with yet another pointless song and a marriage subplot that is both boring and irritating. Apart from the cameos by Anudeep KV and Kalyan, director Harish Shankar also appears on screen, and all these cameos feel forced, self-indulgent, and completely unnecessary. By the end, it becomes impossible to understand what the director actually wanted to convey.
It's almost like the makers believed that throwing in random jokes, a few songs, and zero storytelling will still bring audiences to theatres. Instead of watching Funky, viewers are better off watching a random TV comedy show, which might still deliver far better entertainment.
One wonders how Vishwak Sen agreed to such a script at this stage of his career. This is not a memorable role for Vishwak Sen. His performance doesn’t sync with Anudeep’s brand of comedy, and the film does him no favours.
Funky only adds another failure to his list. Ironically, his earlier film Laila now looks better in comparison. Kayadu Lohar is the only saving grace. She looks glamorous, cute, and pleasant on screen. Though her role lacks depth, her presence is the sole positive. Sampath Raj is completely wasted, and the rest of the cast is forgettable.
Music by Bheems Ceciroleo is disappointing. None of the songs work, and the choreography is equally poor. Cinematography is average, and the production values feel substandard. The film gives the impression of being shot without proper planning or preparation. Dialogues fall flat, with only one or two mildly amusing moments.
Funky is a forgettable film with no story, weak screenplay, uneven narration, and turns into an example of how not to make a movie. Just like the protagonist in the film completes his movie without proper planning, Funky too feels like a film made without a clear vision, and ends up being a complete misfire and a big disappointment.