Puri Jagannadh is among the few elite directors in Telugu cinema who have created a brand of their own. People come to cinemas to watch a film simply on the name of the director because of the impact he has created. Is Puri Jagannadh now making films deserving of that brand name and are his films really running on that brand name anymore?
If we look close at the past few films of the director, we would realize that the director has lost his touch clearly and is now showing only glimpses of that past glory and relying heavily on the combination to survive commercially in this cut throat world without getting booted out. Getting into details, the director’s recent successes have been films with star who have delivered a blockbuster freshly. Businessman after Dookudu, Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu after Gabbar Singh, Iddarammayilatho after Julayi and finally Heart Attack after Ishq and Gunde Jari Gallanthayyinde.
It shouldn’t be too hard to put the dots together when we further extrapolate the examples with films like Nenu Na Rakshasi and Devudu Chesina Manushulu, films that were commercial disasters. We can clearly see that his big grossers have been post blockbuster films and his disasters have been with films that came without any such cushion behind them. Cleary the director has been banking on the successful stars instead of getting the audience with his brand name.
One couldn’t even ignore that fact but what is most worrying thing is barring few moments sporadically none of the recent past films have been as engaging as films from his past nor are his dialogues as effective either. Even the comedy which used to be unique in his films has turned crass now. Puri Jagannadh without any doubt is a great asset to Telugu cinema as a director with such track record behind him but with the current deceiving success, he is only deluding himself and running away from reality.
How many of you agree with the above view and wish the director focuses more on his strength that is writing. Share us your thoughts.
