Review: Skanda

Headline: Boyapati doesn`t relent

 

Plot:

An industrialist (Srikanth) with loads of goodwill and public image is wronged. He is sentenced to a jail term. His daughter (Saiee Manjrekar) has been nearly beaten to death. The bad guys, whoever they are, want a signature from the imprisoned businessman.

In Hyderabad, our hero (Ram Pothineni) joins a college to study Political Science. The daughter (Sree Leela) of the Telangana CM is his classmate. After saving the CM from a purported assassination bid, our hero reveals his true identity. Who is he? What does he want from the Telangana CM and the latter`s newly-minted rival - the Andhra Pradesh CM? How is he related to the crest-fallen industrialist?

Performances:

Ram Pothineni and energy have been seen as synonymous. In `Skanda`, by sporting a thick beard, he looks extra macho and his get-up sits pretty with the hyper-masculine nature of the movie. The Boyapati Sreenu genre needed the hero to look like that.

Between Sree Leela and Saiee Manjrekar, the former has an out-and-out commercial role. She doesn`t blow away the opportunity. Saiee is impressive in a couple of scenes. 

Sharath Lohithaswa and Ajay Purkar are watchable in two of the most ridiculous on-screen Chief Ministers in the history of Indian cinema. Srikanth plays a heavy role and, to be honest, it didn`t suit him. `Baahubali` fame Prabhakar gets to show angry expressions at the drop of a hat. Although every other character in the movie has only that job to do, his anger registers thoroughly because of how he makes his eyes big in a semi-comical fashion. Prince Cecil is wasted in the role of a sadist.

Technical Departments:

1. Background Score: Thaman`s work is insipid except in a couple of action blocks.

2. Music: The songs are bad. Only Ram and Sree Leela redeem them.

3. Cinematography: Average.

4. Art Direction: Outdated aesthetics.

Analysis:

Ram Pothineni has mostly done class movies. `iSmart Shankar` was an honorable exception. Boyapati attempts to give him his career`s most massy film. `Skanda`, however, suffers from a lack of novelty.

The violence is just too much, although the action choreography will make you want to forgive the over-indulgence. This reviewer stopped judging the movie and started counting the number of characters who are related to one or another CM expressing shock or showing dread. Whole sets of people are over-awed by the aggressive and extreme heroism on display. Logic, in the process, is thrown to the winds. For example, we don`t understand why the CM has to depend on fake greyhounds when he can command the real ones to save his daughters.

Merits:

1. Stun Siva`s action choreography. Boyapati`s ideas also play a part in elevating them.

2. The climax.

3. Sly and open political digs (if you have your political preferences aligned with this film`s, you will enjoy them).

4. An attempt has been made to keep the audience guessing about `Skanda 2`.

Demerits:

1. Making the CMs of the Telugu States behave like headless chickens and powerless buffoons.

2. Done-to-death elements. Ideas involving black money, etc don`t work.

3. A weak rom-com track. Only Racha Ravi`s presence makes some difference.

4. The flashback in the second half is too lengthy.

Rating: 2.5/5