Pelli SandaD Movie ReviewBOTTOM LINE
Outdated Mass Family Entertainer

OUR RATING
1.5/5

CENSOR
2h 18m, ‘U’ Certified.


Roshan - Pelli SandaD Telugu Movie ReviewWhat Is the Film About?
Vashishta (Roshann) falls in love with Sahasra after flirting with her at a relative’s marriage. The problem is Sahasra’s father who is opposed to love marriages. How Vashishta weds Sahasra is the movie’s basic premise.

Performances
Roshan has improved looks-wise from the days of Nirmala Convent. There is also growth in ease and body language. But, all of this is only in comparison to his teenage debut.

The dialogue delivery of Roshan is weak. He recites dialogues as if preparing for an exam. The fun is missing. There is very little to do emotion wise. He is superb in the grand action scene towards the end. PellisandaD is a decent output for relaunch as a commercial star. Working on the weakness would increase the screen presence which is very essential for such films.


Director Gowri RonankiAnalysis
Gowri Ronanki directs PellisandaD with directorial supervision by veteran legend K Raghavendra Rao. It is a simple and straightforward story made in the typical style of KRR.

The tone of the film is set from the beginning with Rajendra Prasad. We can see the dramatic pitch and making style reminding us of the movies from three decades ago.

The introduction of the hero’s family seals the deal as far as the content is considered. It is dated without any doubt. If one keeps that in mind, there is something to salvage, otherwise, there is nothing.

A cacophony of different characters, their quirks, the old school romance of the lead pair fills the narrative in the first hour. The heroine Sree Leela easily fits into the space initially as she has nothing much to perform. Roshann tries hard but falls flat mainly due to a lack of charm.

Things take a dramatic turn towards the interval with the heroine going missing. It builds some curiosity for the second half.

The family party continues in the second half with a host of artists trying their loudest best to make the viewers laugh. It’s another matter that it doesn’t happen.

Soon, the heroine is back in the mix of things. The revelation is terrible and what happens next, a flashback involving her father, takes the farcical drama to the next level.

From mid second half until the end, it is all about the hero trying to get the girl. It is narrated in a very outdated way. The effect is such that some of the contrived emotions appear unintentionally funny. It is then a relief when the climax arrives.

Overall, PellisandaD is outdated kitsch that should have come three decades ago. Even then it would have failed.


Leela - Pelli SandaD Telugu Movie Review Others?
Sree Leela makes her Tollywood debut with PellisandaD. She shines for her glamour show rather than the display of acting skills. Needless to say, she is poor in them.

K Raghavendra Rao also makes his acting debut after decades of staying behind the camera. He looks confident and does well mainly due to the dubbing with timing.

There is an enormous cast employed for PellisandaD. Among Prakash Raj, Rao Ramesh and Rajendra Prasad have decent length. Vennela Kishore is okay in a role typical of him. Shakalaka Shankar is alright. The rest are forgettable.

Music-Director-MM-KeeravaniMusic and Other Departments?
MM Keeravani imbibes the spirit of PellisandaD and delivers some foot-tapping numbers. His background score is also better in parts. Sunil Kumar Nama’s cinematography looks standard fare lacking any striking quality. The editing by Tammiraju gives a patchy feel to the narrative. The dialogues by Sreedhar Seepana are below par.


Director K Raghavendra Rao - Pelli SandaD Telugu Movie ReviewHighlights?
Some Old School Fun
Music
Unintentional Fun
Drawbacks?
Predictable Story
Cliched Drama
Outdated Presentation


Pragathi - Pelli SandaD Telugu Movie ReviewAlternative Take
The same movie with a modern sensibility, and comedy and cutting down on characters and crude parts would have made it a routine entertainer. It would still be better than what we have now.

Did I Enjoy It?
No

Will You Recommend It?
No

Pelli SandaD Review by Siddartha Toleti