Waltair Veerayya Movie Review: By Rajeshwari Kalyanam
When you make a film with Boss of Mass & Mass Maharaja – so much could go right and everything can go wrong. We begin this review with three cheers to director Bobby who has done the balancing job so perfectly keeping the emotions intact, with fun elements seamlessly added – and every scene created to unapologetically cater to the fans.
He did everything right and more. It’s a treat to watch Chiranjeevi in his dashing self – lean and fit and fun – he laughed, cried and delivered a whole lot of action and dance – delighting his fans to no end. If you need ‘fans’ mentioned one too many times – that is because this film is crafted for ‘fans’!
The film begins with a flight being crash landed in the middle of nowhere. It is carrying the most wanted and notorious Malaysia-based drug dealer Solomon Caeser who is shifted to a nearby police station to be kept safely for the night. It is evidently the part of a plan when his goons come and slaughter every police person in the station and Solomon escapes. The station head Seethapathi – Rajendra Prasad is the only one saved as he steps away for a while. He is suspended but that doesn’t stop him from seeking revenge. His only aim is to bring the criminal to India to bring justice to the families of the policemen who lost their lives.
He goes looking for the right man and discovers – Waltair Veerayya at Jalaripeta – a fisherman’s colony in Visakhapatnam. And thus, begins the celebration of a phenomenon called Chiranjeevi. The introduction shot is visually, cinematically, and characterization-wise crafted to entertain and sets the tone for the rest of the movie. With Chiru returning to form and a whole lot of nostalgia thrown in – the film offers abundant high moments for the audience to cheer.
Seethapathi promises to pay Veerayya 25 lakhs in return of the promise to kidnap Solomon from Malaysia. As a dialogue in the film goes – Did Veerayya come into the policeman’s story or is there more to it – is what the film all about. Shruti Hasan meets Veerayya in Malaysia as Athidhi – the front desk hostess of a hotel where Veerayya team including Seethapathi and his brother-in-law Vennela Kishore stay. What starts as a plan to nab Solomon leads to his elder brother Michael (Prakash Raj).
Ravi Teja enters the story post interval. ACP Vikram Sagar is fearsome and he is transferred to Vizag to deal with drugs problem. He turns out to be the hero’s step brother, and you see a whole lot of love –hate relationship going on between them. This part of the story is the throwback with its share of drama, more action and dance – where you see the two much loved heroes in one frame. Ravi Teja has been open about his admiration and love for Chiranjeevi – and you see glimpses of it added into the screenplay for obvious purposes.
Plus –
One of the major plus in the movie is it offers many elements to keep the audience excited through what could easily be a routine mass film.
Background score is energetic and adds to the vibe and dance numbers are josh filled – DSP is a big plus for the film.
Technically the film looks brilliantly handled – be it the editing that goes into the flashback and comes back with ease and finesse or the cinematography – especially during the action and dance sequences.
Minus –
The film is predictable in parts like all mass films – it sticks to the formula so much that the director chose to forcefully include a pre-climax duet in a foreign location that is completely avoidable. But who will complain when you have the totally stunning Shruti Hasan grooving to the beats.
Prakash Raj as the main villain falls short in the mega mass film.
Climax could have been better. But perhaps looking for logic in our mass entertainers beats the purpose of the genre.
Verdict
Bobby Kolli has a winner on hand. And, Chiranjeevi has a film that will bring in his fans from all age groups to the theatres this Sankranthi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4MKFPCpRQ4
Waltair Veerayya Movie Review
Banner: Mythri Movie Makers
Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Shruti Haasan, Catherine Tresa, Prakash Raj, Bobby Simha, Rajendra Prasad, Sathya Raj, Srinivasa Reddy, Vennela Kishore, Saptagiri, Nasser.
Director: KS Ravindra
Screenplay: Kona Venkat, K Chakravarthy
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematographer: Arthur Wilson
Editing: Niranjan Devaramane
Production Designer: A.S. Prakash
Fights: Ram-Laxman, Peter Hein
Producers: Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili
Story, Dialogues & Direction: Bobby Kolli
Release Date: Jan 13, 2023
