Review: `Miss. Shetty Mr. Polishetty`

Headline: Naveen Polishetty`s one-man show

Plot:

The film opens in London with Anvitha Shetty (Anushka Shetty) staring at her mother`s demise. As someone brought up by a single mom, she has no faith in the institution of marriage. Since her dying mother`s last wish was that she find a companion, Anvitha decides to opt for pregnancy through artificial fertilization.

Siddhu Polishetty (Naveen Polishetty), somewhere in Hyderabad, is a struggling stand-up comedian waiting for that one big break. Anvitha comes across him and finds him to be a suitable sperm donor with no vices. While she hopes to enter into a transactional relationship with Siddhu, the latter confuses her concern for genuine love. The implications of this confusion lead to heartbreak. Will Siddhu and Anvitha ever join hands for the latter`s purpose?

Performances:

Naveen dominates the show and becomes the film`s biggest crowd-puller. If he was a naive idiot in `Jathi Ratnalu`, he is in a different geographical setting and social space this time. He uplifts even ordinary scenes with his talent.

Anushka Shetty doesn`t play a glamorous role. Since she plays a modern woman who doesn`t care about societal norms, it would have helped had she been shown with a male bestie instead of a female friend (played by Sonia Deepti).

Murali Sharma plays a strong role despite the typical dad arc. Abhinav Gomatam doesn`t draw laughs. Kamal Kamaraju is seen in a cameo. Harshavardhan`s role should have been played by Nassar and vice-versa. As a fertility specialist, Nassar would have looked better and more comical, actually.

Technical Departments:

1. Music (Songs): Radhan`s songs are not hummable but enjoyable nevertheless.

2. Background Music: Mood-enhancing to an extent. 

3. Cinematography: Nirav Shah`s work adds to the beauty quotient.

4. Production Values: Good one from UV Creations

Analysis:

Director Mahesh Babu P takes up a serious premise. Had the male lead not been a stand-up comedian but something else, the fun quotient might have taken a beating. The director makes this an urban comedy and avoids the usual suspects (he doesn`t cast the `kaya`-obsessed Ali, for example). Instead of a Saptagiri cracking double-meaning jokes, we have the hero do everything by himself - thereby he ensures healthy comedy.

There are quite a few flaws. Anvitha`s wish to get pregnant without a marriage looks forced. The involvement of Siddhu`s office colleagues in the early scenes of the second half is not convincing. Why does Siddhu share intimate secrets pertaining to his personal life with them when he was not shown to share any rapport with his workplace buddies in the first half? Also, in the scene where the female bestie convinces Anvitha to go for Siddhu instead of the new client she has finalized, the heroine looks quite unemotional. These flaws could have been avoided.

Merits:

1. Naveen Polishetty`s performance is the biggest draw.

2. No in-your-face humour.

3. Routine elements have been jettisoned.

4. Decent enough music.

Demerits:

1. Predictable climax.

2. No surprises in the second half.

Rating: 3/5