Meter Review : Kiran Abbavaram puts forth his swag, but fails to impress thanks to weak, much often repeated story line, and scenes that are outdated
Meter is about Arjun Kalyan who becomes a police officer much against his wishes, almost gives up his post before situations reveal themselves and he has a change of heart. The film begins with this young boy attending police selections and it is his father’s dream that he become as police officer. However, after watching his father being illtreated by people in power, getting transferred for being honest, he is disillusioned. So, he decides to not join police department, but keeps attending the selections to keep his father’s heart.
The problem comes when he actually gets selected and is forced to join duty. From day one his only goal is to get himself dismissed. Giving him ideas and helping him in this is his friend played by Sapthagiri and together they make way for some comic relief in the first half.
The villain in the story is the home minister, who is even more powerful than the chief minister. With out even trying Arjun ends up making things difficult for Byreddy (Dhanush Pawan) What happens when he actually decides to do his duty and bring justice to the wronged is what the story all about.
Along this main story, which is much repeated but for the premise of the reluctant police man that is a novelty – there is the side track – that of the romance. Here is a heroine (Athulya Ravi) who hates men and wishes to become a nun, and when the hero gets to know this from the girl’s father in one of those forced into narrative kind of scenes, he evidently meets her to spoil her plans. And, as easily as he thrashes the goons, he changes her heart. From hating men to the extent of throwing acid on them if they trouble her much – she becomes this singing and dancing girlfriend. This episode could have been like many other scenes in the film that more or less follow a tested pattern of Indian cinema, which do not deserve much attention unless there is a hit song that follows.
However, in this one episode the director Ramesh Kaduri manages to make a sham out of women, trivialize acid attacks and insult the women, who choose to renounce worldly pleasures for what they believe in. All these aspects are so passe, we would think if it was not for our Telugu film makers who keep reminding us that these sensibilities do not find place in their scheme of things.
The film takes too many liberties in order to take the story forward. Kiran Abbavaram – the hero is as usual keen to impress, puts forth the swag needed for a mass hero, fights, dances and reels out powerful dialogues – but has (not for the first time) chosen a story that has no strength, and characterization that lacks depth. Its a formula that is definitely not the kind that will help a young and promising hero like Kiran to create a niche for himself.
In short – like the lead character Arjun Kalyan – the film produced by Mythri Movies too does not follow any meter – and plus it has nothing to offer to theatre audience.
Meter Review
