Naa Saami Ranga Movie Review: Forgettable Entertainment
The Sankranthi holiday holds special meaning for Nagarjuna Akkineni, who attributes his string of successful single releases to this period. This is why he was so certain that “Naa Saami Ranga” release today would happen.
In 1988, a little town serves as the setting for this tale. Nagarjuna Akkineni’s Kistaiah and Naresh’s Anji are best buddies with a brotherly relationship. Varaalu (Ashika Ranganath) is a girl they’re pals with. The village president, Peddayya (Nasser), is a beloved figure to Kistaiah, who looks up to him as a father figure.
Although Kistaiah desires to marry Varaalu, she encounters resistance from Varaalu’s father. In the meantime, Anji weds Manga (Mirnaa). Regardless, Varaalu tries to elope with Kistaiah, which leads to the terrible death of her father.
In the wake of her father’s untimely death, Varaalu shuns marriage to Kistaiah. Decades pass. The young lovers Kistaiah and Anji save are Baski (Raj Tarun) and Rukshar, who is his girlfriend. They become friends with Baski as well.
Dasu (Shabbeer), son of Peddayya, has animosity toward Kistaiah and Anji as a result of numerous events. One of these pals meets a tragic end at the hands of Dasu.
Highlights in performance:
The persona that Nagarjuna has played is far younger than his actual age. This rustic setting is Nagarjuna’s comfort zone. He does a superb job with the part.
Wow, Ashika Ranganath is stunning. She expertly portrays both sides of her character.
Being Nagarjuna’s friend, Allari Naresh is the show-stopper. In his brief time on screen, he truly shines.
Although Raj Tarun is passable, his character’s motivation is questionable.
The enemy, Shabber, makes his presence known, but he acts a bit too much in certain parts. Nasser performs a typical function.
Technical Mastery: MM Keeravani’s score is all over the place. While the background score is appropriate, the songs lack originality. Aside from “ettukellipovalanipistunde pilla,” none of them are hummable, yet they fit in nicely with the rustic atmosphere.
Naa Saami Ranga Analysis:
The rural stories that Nagarjuna Akkineni writes have a way of fitting in with the spirit of the Sankranthi festival. “Bangarraju” and “Soggade Chinni Nayana” are two recent instances. And he was also in “Naa Saami Ranga,” a festival-targeted film.
A religious procession known as the Prabhala Teertham, which takes place in Konaseema as part of the Sankranthi festival, is also pivotal to the film’s plot.
From the plot to the location to the intended viewers, the entire production is based on the Sankranthi season. Although it doesn’t offer much in the way of excitement, “Naa Saami Ranga” manages to meet expectations in this area.
“Naa Saami Ranga” explores the impact on the lives of three friends and is based on a Malayalam film by Porinju Mariam Jose.
Newcomer Vijay Binni directed the more commercial Telugu version. Nagarjuna and Ashika Ranganath’s love story is the main attraction.
Although the most of the first half is dull, there are a few parts that are passably interesting.
The film’s solemn narration ruins its attempt to keep viewers engaged after the intermission. Here is where the story takes a dramatic turn, in fact. The scenes that evoke strong emotions fall flat. The new director has turned up the intensity in the second half compared to the first.
Another acceptable change he made was adapting the Malayalam version’s climax to suit the tastes of the Telugu audience. So, to fit the celebratory spirit, “Naa Saami Ranga” concludes on an upbeat note.
The over-reliance on tired plot devices and clichés is the film’s worst problem. The narrative ought not to have been so archaic, even though the plot transpires around the 1980s. There has to have been greater writing of the comedic scenes. Similarly dated is the love story between Ashika and Nagarjuna.
Regardless, if you go into the festival season with minimal expectations, “Naa Saami Ranga” is just a passable film. Because of its tropes and dated storytelling, “Naa Saami Ranga” is ultimately just a forgettable entertainment option. It’s definitely not a family-friendly performer for a festival.
Movie: Naa Saami Ranga
ibomma Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Nagarjuna Akkineni, Ashika Ranganath, Allari Naresh, Raj Tarun, Mirnaa Menon, Rukshar Dhillon, Rao Ramesh, Harshavardhan and others
Music: MM Keeravani
Dialogues: Prasanna Kumar Bezawada
DOP: Shivendra Dasaradhi
Editing: Chota K Prasad
Art: DY Satyanarayana
Producers: Srinivasaa Chitturi
Stunts: Ram Laxman, Venkat, Prudhvi
Presents: Pavan Kumar
Screenplay- Direction- Choreography: Vijay Binni
Release Date: Jan 14, 2024
