BOTTOM LINE
Half Baked Insipid Thriller
OUR RATING
1.75/5
CENSOR
2h 15m, ‘U/A’ Certified
What Is the Film About?
Arjun and Anu come from an extremely poor background. Their parents are idealistic and believe in good values only. Seeing the hardships they face, Arjun and Anu decide to earn big money. How they go about it by scamming the Americans? What is the scam? What happens, in the end, is what the movie is all about?
How Is Manchu Vishnu’s Performance?
Manchu Vishnu too returns to the big screen after a long gap with Mosagallu. The character in the movie is right down his alley, and he plays it well. There is a unique combination of vulnerability and arrogance in Vishnu, which rarely gets used in the same film. It is present in Mosagallu, and he does well on both counts. The former aspect is a little easy to get across for the audience, though.
The dialogue delivery hasn’t changed much, and neither are the close-up expressions, but they get less focus here. The ‘accent’ while speaking English is put to good use here. In short, after a gap, there seems to be a conscious effort to come with something worthwhile, and it is fine up to that aspect.
Direction by Jeffrey Gee Chin ?
Jeffrey Gee Chin directs Mosagallu. The story of the film is reportedly based on an actual incident involving a massive scam. On that front, the movie is pretty solid.
With a good story in hand, it is all about the correct execution with a good cast. It is a mixed bag on those two counts as far as Mosagallu is considered.
The movie opens by establishing the core theme of happiness vis money. One can buy all the luxuries in the world, but not a peaceful sleep and happiness is the point that mentioned and is the underlying theme of the film throughout.
The proceedings follow a very urban approach concerning the establishment of the roles and the setup. The whole thing looks way too flashy when nothing exciting really is happening. The first time meeting between the characters of Vishnu and Navadeep is an example.
There are many scenes related to the core drama which come across flimsy. Its emotions seem borrowed from films of a similar setting.
What makes Mosagallu work, partially but at regular intervals, is the scam itself. The whole fake IRS and Call Centre setup and process provides some intrigue. The parallel investigation effort additionally brings little suspense.
When both the tracks are mixed, what we get is an uneven narrative. The personal dramas and conflicts between different players are executed in a very over the top way. The actors overact and further draw attention to what is already a weak element. Still, they are necessary to give an emotional connection.
The first half is a smooth ride as there is less focus on drama and more on the thrills. The second half takes a dramatic turn after a point, and things drag on until the end. The investigation ramps up the proceedings intermittently, but by then, they also start to get repetitive. It leaves us with a half baked feeling.
The ending is neatly done with the right message regarding money versus happiness. However, it is also highly predictable for the same reason. The final moments are okay, though, leaving an element of suspense.
Overall, Mosagallu is an uneven mixture of drama and thrill. Both the central to the proceedings, but one work, in parts, while the other fails in execution. Give Mosagallu a try if you have no clue about the scam and are willing to go with zero expectations.
Kajal Aggarwal and Others?
Kajal has never acted this confident in her career without any doubt. Only Sita comes to the mind where she shows this kind of attitude and overconfidence, but that was a disaster of an outing. Here that is not the case entirely. She is decent, more or less, and gives a few moments of heartfelt performance at the very fag end of the movie.
Sunil Shetty has done many cop roles in his career. Mosagallu is another addition to the list, but it is worthy of his time. He is given a good part that is noticed and gets a decent response, as well. Raja Ravindra also has a good role. It gets better as the movie progresses. Nagineedu is alright.
Navadeep, Naveen Chandra, Harsha and others play a part in the ensemble, and they are alright. Everyone gets a pass for acting genuinely interested in the movie.
Music and Other Departments?
The music by Sam CS is alright. The songs are used as part of the narrative without any special picturisation. It is the background score that shines. It is a bit loud at times, but overall works well in enhancing the proceedings’ fast-paced feel. The cinematography could have been better, considering the scope of the film. The editing is decent. Few parts have issues with lip-syncing. The writing feels repetitive but delivers home the point.
Highlights?
Story
Casting
Fast-Paced Narrative
Drawbacks?
Uneven Tone
Weak Conflict and Drama
Some Parts Look Rushed
Alternative Take
Better handling of the conflicting drama to give a high towards the end when the expected happens.
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Mosagallu Review by Siddartha
