Seetimaarr Movie ReviewBOTTOM LINE
Routine Mass Entertainer, But Works

OUR RATING
2.5/5

CENSOR
2h 19m, ‘U/A’ Certified.


What Is the Film About?

Atreyapuram’s Ramakrishna Memorial School has been the source of education and growth for many in the small town. However, as time passes by, it too faces the threat of corporate takeover.

Karthik (Gopichand) takes the onus on him to save the school. He plans to do it through the Kabaddi game. Winning the National Championship would enable them to highlight the school’s plight and get necessary action taken. Did he achieve the goal? Did the Karthik trained girls win the Kabaddi tournament forms the overall plot.

Performances

Gopichand is good at playing the role of coach Karthik. It is a typical hero role but is written well. He gets to do action, emotion and deliver messages at critical junctures. Gopichand does all of them with casual ease and confidence like only he can. He is superb in action scenes like he has always been. Seetimaarr is one of the better outings for the actor in the recent past within the mass space. He has always given his best; here, it works better for him overall.


Analysis

Sampath Nandi of Racha, Bengal Tiger, and Gautam Nanda fame directs Seetimaarr. One glance at films should be enough to understand what type of film we are looking at. Seetimaarr is everything that one expects from the director even though it has Kabaddi sports.

Seetimaarr is first and foremost a commercial entertainer. It happens to have a sports element as the backdrop. The director sets things perfectly in the opening act of the movie.

The core theme, the hero’s goal, heroism, and entertainment are all neatly blended in the movie’s first half. What’s more, there is a neat women empowerment message incorporated in between as well.

Yes, the entertainment and overall tone is over the top, but it is par for course for a commercial entertainer. It all works out well in the first half, even if it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The pre-interval and interval takes an unexpected turn. It is why it must be reminded time and again that Seetimaarr is first and foremost a commercial entertainer which happens to have a sports backdrop.

The second half is more about the hero and villain rather than the ‘game’ itself. It is about the players, but not in a typical sports genre style. The hero at the centre has to do all the needed here.

The entire proceedings could come across as a disconnect to those expecting a sports entertainer. But, to those looking at Seetimaarr as a mass entertainer, it is an exciting hook.

Unfortunately, Sampath Nandi fails to develop proceedings engagingly using the hook. It starts well but soon gets repetitive. The intention to make the villain powerful is right and appreciable, but for a short period, it appears too one-sided, with the hero appearing weak.

The small twists are predictable. They, however, lead to an emotional scene which is well done. The culmination of the entire hero and villain track with a long drawn pre-climax is a mixed bag. It could have been executed far better. A sense of things being overdone sets in by that time. The brother-in-law’s involvement could also have been done cleverly. These are all lost opportunities.

The climax, after all the drama and action, is on predictable lines. It wraps things up hurriedly. After a good first half, the second half feels underwhelming. It undoes, for the most part, all the work of the first half.

Overall, Seetimaarr succeeds in what it aims to do, provide mass entertainment. It works fine in the first half but flounders in the second half leaving one with mixed feelings. In the end, it is an average fare, which is meant for the mass audience, predominantly.


Tamannah and Others?

Tamannah playing the female lead, is given a decent role. It comes as part of the story but is utilised well for all commercial purposes. Tamannaah has done it all before and plays along the galleries. Digangana Suryavanshi is neat in a bubbly role. She has nothing else to do.

Bhumika Chawla gets another predictable supporting part role. She does her bit with ease and fills an emotional space in the narrative. Rehman is fine as long as he doesn’t overact. He goes way overboard when he is in the overboard zone. Rao Ramesh is good in a role that uses his typical style. Posani Krishna Murali gets a decent part and shines, especially in the emotional sequence in the second half.

All the girls part of the Kabaddi gang are okay. Pragati and Annapurna also overacts, but it passes well as part of the entertainment.

Music and Other Departments?

The music of the film is alright despite a blockbuster item song. The background score stands out from the master Mani Sharma. The cinematography by Soundarrajan is okay. He gives a big-budget flavour to the film in parts. The editing by Tammiraju is neat. The proceedings are crisp and fast. The writing by Sampath Nandi is typical of his style and is fine.


Highlights?
Gopichand
Sampath Nandi Writing
First Half
Message

Drawbacks?
Parts Of Second Half
Pre-climax
Less Entertainment


Alternative Take
The cat and mouse game between the hero and villain could be improved further. It would have elevated the overall mass impact.

Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts

Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations

Seetimaarr Review by Siddartha Toleti