BOTTOM LINE
A Tacky And Spiritless Thriller
OUR RATING
1.5/5
CENSOR
‘U/A’ Certified, 2 hrs 14 mins
What Is the Film About?
It is a rainy night with thunderstorms. Vidya (Eesha Rebba) is alone in the house waiting for husband Rahul (Satya Dev). In an unexpected twist, it is revealed a few moments later that the husband is murdered.
On the same fateful night, three criminals escape from prison and break into Vidya’s house, fleeing from the police. Inside the house, they see the dead body of Rahul while trying to hide.
Vidya (Eesha Rebba) has confessed to murdering her husband. But, is she the killer or is there a twist in the tale?
How Is Eesha Rebba’s Performance?
After a long time, Esha Rebba gets a movie that has her at the centre of the narrative. However, while that is true, it is in a different way. She still does not get a heroine-centric author-backed part here as well.
Besides a couple of confrontational and emotional scene, nothing stands out acting-wise. It’s what she has been doing in the past well. In fact, a film like Anthaku Mundu Aa Taruvata has offered her more meat as a performer comparatively. Regarding memorability, even Ami Thumi scores over what she is doing here.
Direction by Sreenivaas Redde?
Sreenivaas Redde is returning to direction after a hiatus. The long gap seems to have taken off the sheen from the director. It also doesn’t help that the subject of Ragala 24 Gantallo is not his natural terrain.
Ragala 24 Gantallo came with the promise of a thriller. But, the narrative has hardly any thrills. The movie, in general, comes across as hotchpotch version of Sleeping With The Enemy. It is the drama related to this ‘inspiration’ that holds the attention mildly. Otherwise, there is nothing of interest.
The sequences involving Satya Dev and Eesha Rebba, where the former harasses the later as a photographer, have some raw and nervous energy attached to them. They are highly predictable in a way; still, the pair and situation make one notice. And that is the only ‘predictable’ yet decent block in the outing.
As far as the rest is concerned, the story itself is ordinary. The execution makes it uninteresting further. Many scenes are handled in a way that eschews the seriousness it demands. The small twists are totally un-organic and put there for the sake of it. The purposeful steering away via false visualisation and expressions of actors further dilutes the impact.
The second half is a downward graph from start to end. It goes only one way, and it is down. By the time we reach the climax, the ‘graph’ is long buried. It makes the whole explanations pointless.
Overall, Ragala 24 Gantallo is a thriller with zero thrills. Wait for a digital transfer if you love the genre and finish it in twenty minutes pronto.
Satyadev and Others?
Satya Deva is a revelation playing a character that is different than usual. Saying exactly what he represents would be akin to a spoiler. But, it suffices to say, the limited interest that one gets in the proceedings come through his combination scenes with the actress.
Okariki Okaru and Aadavari Matalaku Ardhale Verule fame Sriram is given a weak character. The inconsistency and over the top action requirement make it a miserable outing. Ganesh Venkatraman exists but is forgettable. His character should have been adequately integrated into the narrative. Ravi Varma and others have one-dimensional parts which offer very little to evoke interest.
Music and Other Departments?
Music by Raghu Kunche is limited to a couple of songs. They easily escape one’s memory, and by the end, one might even not remember there being a song at all. The background score feels a template-driven noise. It is still okay though, compared to the songs. The cinematography is poor. The editing should have been better. The writing is bland, but for a thriller that could have been a pass if there were thrills. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Highlights?
Runtime
Satya Dev
A Few Parts Of the Predictable Drama
Drawbacks?
Story
Direction
No Thrills
No Suspense
Alternative Take
The better development of characters of Ganesh and Sriram would have made the story better.
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Ragala 24 Gantallo Review by Siddartha Toleti
