BOTTOM LINE
OkayIsh
OUR RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
UA
What Is the Film About?
Krishna (Naga Shaurya) is a guy from an orthodox Brahmin family. On the other hand, Vrinda (Shirley Setia) is a trendy modern, sexually liberated woman. As fate would have it, they work for the same company and eventually fall in love.
What happens when Krishna proposes marriage to Vrinda? What problems they face as a result is the movie’s core plot.
Performances
Naga Shaurya looks fabulous with a good screen presence. The styling is neatly done, giving him a slick urban cool-dude vibe. However, when it comes to the actual character, there is nothing new for him to do except the background freshness. He breezes through everything easily and confidently and shows sparks of dramatic flair towards the end. There is nothing to complain about on his part as a result.
Shirley Setia is a mixed bag. She does suit the role and carries the bold parts with confidence. However, some shots are not so flattering and make her look awkward. But, the bigger problem is lacking the on-screen chemistry to match with the hero. As a result, the pairing feels mismatched and makes one think a better casting could have been made.
Analysis
Anish R Krishna of Ala Ela and Lover fame directs Krishna Vrinda Vihari. Storywise, he picked a straightforward tale for the outing but made it exciting with the setup. It will, however, remind one of a recently released movie.
The movie begins on an engaging note establishing the world of Krishna and his character. There is some freshness, which can also be felt via the writing. However, it is short-lived as things soon move to a familiar urban setup.
An urban romance track takes over the narrative that almost covers the entire first half. A lot of effort is put into creating sizzling chemistry, and a couple of songs work well in this regard. The comedy, too, is okay in parts. However, despite all the efforts, the proceedings never rise above the passable levels as there is nothing new here. The conflict is also missing and arrives only around the interval mark.
A neat interval bang makes one look forward to the second half. The director anticipates the same and reserves the core drama for the second hour.
The sudden change in tone initially leads to a jarring effect, but soon one is accustomed to it. The issue here, more than the lack of entertainment, which is still there in parts, is the lack of newness and depth in the dramatic moments. They all follow a predictable beat ticking all the expected boxes.
The biggest issue yet among this predictability is the forced villain track. It feels utterly contrived and unnecessary.
The narrative progresses with heightened drama, albeit predictable, until the end. Therefore, the resolution seems quickly done after all that has happened. Well, it’s a way of avoiding the dragging of emotions, but at the same time, the lingering feeling of too soon crops up.
Overall, Krishna Vrinda Vihari has a decent setting to provide a rollicking family entertainer cum drama. However, a familiar approach lacking freshness plays spoilsport. It still is an average affair if one doesn’t mind the genre and predictability.
Performances by Others Actors
Krishna Vrinda Vihari has several known faces handling comedy and drama, respectively. We have the likes of Radhika, Jayaprakash, Vennela Kishore, Sathya and Rahul Ramakrishna for the same. However, among them, only Radhika and Sathya manage to register. The lack of strong supporting artists’ roles significantly impacts the movie.
Radhika has the most significant role easily after the lead pair. She plays the head of an orthodox Brahmin family. However, how it’s written and executed makes it look like another head of the family who is part of the central conflict. We have seen her do the same before. The background isn’t utilised well to bring out a versatile act.
Sathya has a decent role among the comedians, and he delivers the needs in a few sequences. Vennela Kishore is severely underutilised, whereas Rahul Ramakrishna is wasted. Brahmaji, too, could have been far more effective with a better-written role. One can see a lot of potential for his character. The rest of the artists have nothing much to do.
Music and Other Departments?
Mahati Swara Sagar, the man behind the blockbuster Chalo songs, also featuring Naga Shaurya, composes music for Krishna Vrinda Vihari. The music isn’t on the same level, but a couple of songs are pleasant to listen to and shot well onscreen. The background score is typical for the terrain.
Sai Sriram’s cinematography is neat. There is a trendy urban look for the proceedings, which enhances the movie’s appeal. Tammiraju’s editing is alright. The writing is decent in parts. Some of the comedy works and the climax sequence are neatly written.
Highlights?
Naga Shaurya
Entertainment, In Parts
Interval
Drawbacks?
Predictable Story
Setup Not Utilised Well
Weak Supporting Actors
Forced Sub Plots
Alternative Take
While one is not sure when things ‘originated’ first, Krishna Vrinda Vihari does look like an alternative take on Nani’s last outing, Ante Sundaraniki.
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, in parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, but with reservations
Krishna Vrinda Vihari Movie Review by M9News
