BOTTOM LINE
Passable Sequel For Festival
OUR RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
2h 40m, ‘U/A’ Certified.
What Is the Film About?
Bangarraju takes off from where Soggade Chinni Nayana ended. The titular character is now in a heavenly abode, and his legacy is carried out by Chinna Bangarraju (Naga Chaitanya). He is the playboy of Sivapuram village. But, he cannot get it right with Naga Lakshmi (Krithi Shetty), the local Sarpanch.
Meanwhile, some people have eyed Sivapuram Temple’s wealth. They can’t get it unless Chinna Bangarraju is out of the way.
Why does Bangarraju (Nagarjuna) come back to earth, and how he helps Chinna Bangarraju, personally and against evil forces, forms the overall plot.
Performances
King Akkineni Nagarjuna is in his element playing Bangarraju. It is a role made for him, and that is visible in every frame, with him oozing energy and charisma as only he can. There are no big dramatic moments here. It is a light-hearted part and Nagarjuna breezes through the whole thing.
Naga Chaitanya plays the same character with all its character traits, and then when we see the difference between the two. The difference in the screen presence is palpable. Besides the mannerism that connects to the original Bangarraju, there is nothing else in it for Naga Chaitanya.
Analysis
Kalyan Krishna returns to direction after a gap. The good thing for him is that he is back in his familiar zone and safety net of the Akkineni’s. It shows in Bangarraju, where he engages (passably) despite a routine premise quite unlike his previous outing.
Coming to Bangarraju, it is a direct continuation of Soggade Chinni Nayana. It takes off from where the original ended and then moves forward in time introducing Naga Chaitanya as Chinna Bangarraju.
While the village set-up and the festival vibe Bangarraju generates is good, the problem with the movie is also instantly known. It is clear in the first half an hour that Bangarraju won’t have the emotional appeal or connection like the original.
No matter how hard one tries not compare Bangarraju with Soggade Chinni Nayana, it can’t be helped. There is too much similarity and reuse of the space from the original to not think of it.
The predictable beats that Bangarraju follows make it a passable watch during the first hour. The attempt here is to provide an entertainer with little twists in the tale. Unfortunately, there is nothing exceptional in either case.
The second half continues the same pattern as the first. There is a big block dedicated to entertainment and it is followed by mass moments involving the story.
The whole thing works in parts. Some moments designed for the fans are fine, but one can see the extreme predictability even in those bits. The climax is again alright as the seniors, Nagarjuna and Ramya Krishna, do their magic. It is no patch to the original, but considering everything that preceded it, the ending feels fine.
Overall, Bangarraju is an extremely predictable and formulaic fare. It is still a passable watch for the cast, setting and festival atmosphere. Give it is a try if you want to watch some rural backdrop fun and have the expectations firmly in check.
Others?
Krithi Shetty looks a million bucks, as usual, and does well. The problem is the weak character and ordinary writing for her part. No matter how good she is, it is a different skill to elevate routine with the dialogue delivery and mannerism. Krithi Shetty isn’t there yet. Ramya Krishna, who played a significant role in the original, doesn’t get the same importance. She is part of the narrative, and has all the charm and energy in tact, but its a serviceable part, at best.
There are many familiar faces besides the one’s mentioned like Rao Ramesh, Sampath Raj, Vennela Kishore and Jhansi. They all do their parts adequately, but the routine and predictable character arcs doesn’t make anyone stand out.
Music and Other Departments?
Anup Rubens music is not as successful as the original, but he has retained the authentic feel. It also helps him that the songs have been shot well visually. The cinematographer Yuvaraj has done a fab job maintaining a colourful festival and village atmosphere vibe throughout. The editing by Vijay Vardhan K could have been better. The movie needed to be sharper narratively. The writing is alright. The stars are expected to take it a notch higher, and they do that most of the time.
Highlights?
Nagarjuna
Cinematography
Songs (Video)
Village Atmosphere
Drawbacks?
Routine And Predictable Story
No Emotional Connection
Ordinary Comedy
Alternative Take
A more robust romantic track involving the younger lead pair would have done the trick here. Furthermore, adding some new elements to the original Bangarraju track.
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Reservation
Bangarraju Movie Review by Siddartha Toleti
Final Report:
Bangarraju is a strictly average fare with routine fun and drama. It is a passable watch overall if one keeps aside SCN from the mind and goes in with limited expectations for the festival.
Nag’s screen presence and energy is very much intact as Bangarraju.
— Ramya Krishna is at ease shaking a leg in ‘Vaasivadi Tassadiyya’. Her screen presence adds a lot of value to the whole thing.
— The story is moving at a slow pace through the love track and some routine fun.
— Bangarraju second half started. Naga Lakshmi (Kriti) started to develop feelings for Bangarraju (Chay). Vennela Kishore is getting more scenes now.
First Half Report:
Bangarraju resumes from where it left at the end of SCN. It recreates the colourful festival vibe of the original with eye-pleasing visuals (songs) and charming Nagarjuna’s presence. The flipside is the regular fun and drama, making the first half a passable watch.
— ‘Bangaraa’ song choreography is nice and the set design is colorful.
— The fun track written for village Sarpanch Naga Lakshmi (Kriti Shetty) could have been lot better. It’s pretty routine and ordinary so-far.
— Sr. Bangarraju (Nagarjuna) comes to village for a reason.
— Naga Lakshmi (Kriti Shetty) makes an entry as a Sarpanch for village. The story is progressing in the village.
— The show begins with a colorful song “Laddunda” in heaven. A simple intro for Bangarraju (Chay) followed by the song. The song sets the perfect vibe for the film.
— Bangarraju show started. The story begins where it stopped.
Bangarraju Review U.S. Premier Live updates starting soon. Stay tuned.
King Akkineni Nagarjuna is back with a new outing Bangarraju for Sankranthi. His last release was Wild Dog in April 2021. We have to go all the way back to 2019 when Nagarjuna last appeared in a typical commercial entertainer. The additional bonus for Akkineni fans is the presence of Naga Chaitanya with Nag.
Bangarraju from the first poster and all other promo materials screams a festival outing. It was always intended to have a Sankranthi release, and as fate would have it, Bangarraju is the solo biggie for Sankranthi 2022.
Besides Nagarjuna, Bangarraju features Naga Chaitanya in a parallel lead. The latter is going through a superb phase at the box office, with a string of successful movies back to back. His presence is a significant boost, undoubtedly.
Krithi Shetty now has two successful movies on the trot. With Bangarraju she will be aiming for a hat-trick.
More than anyone, Kalyan Krishna would be hoping for a comeback. His last film was a washout at the box office, but the first two flicks involving the Akkineni heroes were successful. It will be a hat-trick of sorts for him if Bangarraju too succeeds.
The sequence factor and presence of stars, also being the only biggie for the festival – all augurs well for Bangarraju at the box office. The mass family entertainer stars Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya, Krithi Shetty and Ramya Krishna in key roles. Bangarraju hits cinemas all over on January 14th, 2022.
M9News is here to give you the ‘First-On-Net’ reviews, genuinely and honestly. Watch this space for Bangarraju Movie Review.
