Good representation

Nara Rohith seems to be selecting movies with some messages thrown in. ‘Pratinidhi’ is another such film after his debut flick ‘Baanam’. The newbie director, Prashanth Mandava, takes on the onus of helming a film which talks of corruption and unaccounted money and one man’s efforts to make this money logically go into the CM’s relief fund instead of the pockets of a few! It’s quite an ambitious project – a good concept, a far-fetched ideal (at least as far as the country is concerned) but told in a rather simplistic style.

Sreenu (Nara Rohith) kidnaps the Chief Minister in spite of his ‘Z’ category security with a locally made small gun and with the help of Sreekar (Sri Vishnu), a minister’s son (the kidnap, however, appears far from convincing). Sreenu lodges the CM in an old-age home. Everyone is shocked. The police and Home Minister get into action to bail out the CM. However, Sreenu has some strange demands like removing Gandhiji’s picture from the 500 and 1000 rupee notes and getting all the loose change which is not given back to customers at petrol bunks or by medical shops etc to be transferred to the CM’s relief fund. On account of these ‘reformist’ measures projected well by the media, Sreenu gets enough mileage and is now the hero of the State. But there is more to go as the investigations go on.

The theme and intention as such is good. Mandava seems to have taken a cue from society and also made a wish-list of how he wants to see it. Quite a few pertinent issues are raised in the film; about the unaccounted money made by businessman, and the corruption common man is indulging to get his work done etc. Some lessons on how a leader should be are also indirectly thrown in. The dialogues between Sreenu and the CM are filled with some rhetoric yet were punchy enough to draw applause. However, in his zeal to make his point, Mandava goes slow with the proceedings. His effort is rather simplistic and a bit unrealistic. The police are not made to seem that efficient to tackle the problem. Who can hold a CM captive and talk to him like it is shown in the film in reality? In that sense it seems unthinkable and far-fetched! The songs too seemed out of place.

While he might have faltered during the romantic sequences of the film, Nara Rohith carries off the role effortlessly. He uses his voice and diction effectively to render powerful one-liners. Kota Srinivasa Rao, Posani, Ravi Prakash do what is required of them while Sri Vishnu manages to impress once again. Shubhra Ayyappa does not have much to do in the film. Given the mood and election fervour, the film may have takers as it’s pretty relevant to the times. It is quite meaningful despite being simplistic and unthinkable!