BOTTOM LINE
Baahubali Effort On Mundane Content
OUR RATING
2.25/5
CENSOR
‘UA’, 2 hrs 46 mins
What Is the Film Saakshyam About?
Vishwa (Bellamkonda Srinivas) comes to India for his lover Soundarya Lahari (Pooja Hegde). However, strange things start to happen around him and its linked to Manuswami (Jagapathi Babu). What is the link between them is what the film is all about?
How Is Sai Srinivas’s Performance?
Bellamkonda Srinivas is his usual blank self. There is absolutely nothing new that he has done here, and that includes dances as well. It is the same stuff we have been watching him do from the beginning. Four films later, it feels like the debut was his best effort acting wise. He looks good onscreen while fighting and doing action, but the emotion is wholly missing behind that.
Direction by Sriwass?
In his eleven years as director Sriwass has made six movies, including Saakshyam. His debut was and is, easily his best. The rest, however, were not entirely bad, but none of them was good either. It always felt like something was missing. Saakshyam is the latest entrant in that category.
While watching the movie, we can visibly feel that Sriwass is making it with extreme care. Probably, in his mind, Saakshyam is a Baahubali-an effort for him, and that shows. Unfortunately, all that passion is wasted on a mundane script. But, since the effort is also visible, Saakshyam turns out to be like those films which are too bad that they turn out to be fun.
The basic concept is that of the revenge. To establish the cruelty the director goes a bit far causing unease at times. If those moments are ignored, there is enough fun in an “unintended” way. The four killing and the way the screenplay, writing and performances come together in the narrative give that unintentional fun. If one can’t find that hilarity, the movie turns outright boring.
The freshness in execution is missing which is also another significant problem here. The whole approach and the making wise, it looks tacky. As most of the second half deals with that aspect, it appears flat compared to the first and tiring as well. The small tricks used for the screenplay with respect to murders gets predictable once the second one happens.
Overall, for an out and out mass action venture with mindless violence and action, Saakshyam is a below average affair. As said above, it is fun in an unintended sort of way and if one gets that the movie becomes passable.
Pooja Hegde and Others?
Pooja Hegde looks glamorous and lovely in various costumes and songs. And that’s her work in short in the movie. Jagapathi Babu has done parts like this countless times now and yet manages to be convincing. Rao Ramesh is good in brief moments which allows him to perform. Vennela Kishore is alright. Jaya Prakash and Pavitra Lokesh are fine. Ravi Kishan and Posani Murali Krishna are wasted.
Music and Other Departments?
Harshavardhan Rameshwar has given a couple of lovely tunes. The melody Soundarya Lahari stands out. The background score is excellent in parts but overall feels loud. The cinematography is okay. Editing is messy in parts, but overall a decent effort is made in making Saakshayam look cohesive. The writing is too sincere for its own good.
Highlights?
Basic Concept Of Five Elements
First Half
Drawbacks?
Gets Repetitive
Routine Revenge Plot
Second Half
Alternative Take
Remember the Hollywood movie The Final Dimension? A similar approach would have been an entirely novel and engaging take for the plot.
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
With huge reservations
Saakshyam Review by Siddartha Toleti
