Mr.Bachchan is a highly honest Income Tax officer Anand Bachchan (Ravi Teja) finds himself suspended for his unwavering values. Bachchan’s life seems to calm when he gets back to his film-obsessed family in the hamlet and keeps singing Bollywood songs with an orchestra.
Inspired by the movie Sholay, his father has renamed the whole family after its characters; Anand took on the name ‘Bachchan’ following the great Amitabh Bachchan. But when Bachchan is restored and assigned to attack the house of the formidable and merciless politician Mutyam Jaggaiah (Jagapathi Babu), his life dramatically changes.
Mr. Bachchan Hit
Offering a special mix of nostalgia and mainstream pleasure, Harish Shankar’s Mr. Bachchan, the Telugu adaptation of the Hindi blockbuster Raid, makes a laudable attempt to adapt the original tale to suit Telugu viewers.
With Ravi Teja and Bhagyashree Borse in leading parts and Jagapathi Babu as the adversary, the movie balances honouring cinematic icons with offering the kind of high-energy drama fans of Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja would demand.
Not just in his acting and body language but also in his wardrobe and delivery of some of the renowned star’s memorable sentences, Ravi Teja, as Bachchan, captures the core of his idol.
Ravi Teja adds his usual vitality and timing, which enhances the movie especially in slower parts. As Jikki, Bhagyashree Bose makes her Telugu debut looks amazing and plays a major part, giving the movie glitz. Her character, though, is shallow and more of a supplement than a clear goal for Bachchan.
As the terrifying Jaggaiah, Jagapathi Babu gives a great performance, hence enhancing the drama and entertainment value. The picture benefits much from the supporting cast, which includes Tanikella Bharani, Gautami, Sachin Khedekar, Subhalekha Sudhakar and Satya.
Misses
The first part of the movie has a fast tempo, which is one of its assets. The story moves naturally with fascinating opening scenes, then the portrayal of country life, a quirky, film-loving family with Tanikella Bharani as Thakur and Gautami as Basanti, and a nice dose of humour given by Satya.
Together with well-placed clichés and nostalgic tunes, the period-specific setting enhances the story and makes the first trip very fun. Further attraction comes from the romantic connection between the protagonist couple, imbued with a nostalgic appeal.
The filmmaker attempts to add over-the-top action sequences, partially effective humour, and hackneyed commercial elements, which lessen the overall impact, thus the movie starts to lose momentum in the second half.
Maintaining the vitality of the movie depends mostly on Mickey J. Meyer’s music, while Ayananka Bose‘s photography brilliantly catches the retro idea and vivid images. But Ujwal Kulkarni’s editing should have been better, particularly with regard to second half paring of the excesses.
Ultimately, Mr. Bachchan performs entertainingly—especially in the first half—but finds it difficult to keep up pace in the second half. Still, Ravi Teja’s admirers will find plenty to delight in this fusion of commercial entertainment with nostalgic appeal.
Movie: Mr Bachchan
ibomma Rating: 2.25/5
Cast: Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse, Jagapathi Babu, Sachin Khedekar, Satya, Sudarshan, Satyam Rajesh, Subhalekha Sudhakar, BVS Ravi, Tanikella Bharani and others
Music: Mickey J Meyer
DOP: Ayananka Bose
Editor: Ujwal Kulkarni
Action: Ram Laxman, Pruthvi
Production Designer: Brahma Kadali
Co-Producer: Vivek Kuchibhotla
Producer: T G Vishwa Prasad
Written and Directed by: Harish Shankar
Release Date: August 15, 2024
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