Title: Aswathama
CBFC Rating: UA
Run-Time: 2 Hrs 13 Min
Release Date: 31-01-2020
Banner: IRA Creations
Cast: Naga Shaurya, Mehreen Pirzada, Prince Cecil, Jisshu Sengupta, Harish Uthaman and others
Music: Sricharan Pakala, Ghibran
Cinematography: Manoj Reddy
Editing: Garry BH
Written By: Naga Shaurya
Producer: Usha Mulpuri, Shankarprasad Mulpuri
Screenplay and Directed by Ramana Teja
Story:
Gana (Naga Shaurya) comes home to attend the marriage of his sister Priya. However, shockingly, Priya attempts suicide. The reason for it is revealed to be her pregnancy. But, she doesn’t know how it happened and who is behind it? Gana (Naga Shaurya) starts the inquiry and where it leads is the basic story?
Performances:
Naga Shaurya is going for a makeover with Aswathama. He is seen in a macho action look in the movie like never seen before. It enhances the appeal of fights. He has given it all, and that shows on screen. However, it is not just action scenes, but also drama and emotion where Naga Shaurya scores. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that Aswathama is his career-best act.
Mehreen is given a decent role that is linked to the narrative all the way. She plays a vital role and shines in it. Off late, the actress has been picking similar parts and delivering effortlessly in them.
Jissu Sengupta is the surprise package in the movie. The Bengali actor making his debut in Telugu is a welcome addition. He brings a raw edge to the narrative that elevates the hero as well.
The rest of the cast comprises of many known faces, who are all adequate in their small parts. Even though they may have lesser runtime, they do leave an impact.
Highlights:
Naga Shaurya
Story
Suspense Element
First Half
Production Values
Drawbacks:
Predictable at times in the second half
Analysis:
Ramana Teja, a newcomer, is introduced through Ashwathama. He has done an excellent job for the story provided by Naga Shaurya, which is the deal-clincher in the first place.
The movie takes time to get going as a lot of time is dedicated to getting the various emotional connections right. The family bonding, love and marriage scenes are all done to get it right. It creates a lag initially, but once that is over, the narrative picks pace and is relentless.
The scenes starting from the revelation of pregnancy are grippingly executed. It is what we call the edge of the seat entertainment. The interval bang is neatly done and raises expectations about the second half. The momentum carries post-interval too with the suspense factor and action block being correctly merged.
The narrative some momentum during the pre-climax after all the cards are put in place. But, things never lag, and everything is back on track immediately. The climax wraps up everything on a satisfying note. Ashwathama is a riveting thriller, belongs to the new age trend we are witnessing currently in Telugu cinema.
The music by Sricharan Pakala is lovely and helps in setting up the lighter mood of the film perfectly. Ghibran, with his background score, keeps the proceedings thrilling. He is a great value addition to the overall scheme of things. The cinematography by Manoj Reddy is exquisite. Garry BH’s editing is crisp. The action scenes are terrific and well-executed.
The producers Usha Mulpuri, Shankarprasad Mulpuri have to be appreciated for backing such a hard-hitting content. It takes guts to go ahead with it, and some of the content it presents is a bold choice. The makers deserve a kudos for backing the vision of the director, uncompromisingly.
Bottom-Line: Riveting Hard-Hitting Thriller
Rating: 3/5
