Prati Roju Pandage - A template family drama that has its enjoyable moments!

Bharath Vijayakumar

Synopsis: A NRI comes back to his native to be with his grandfather who is in the last leg of his life and tries to fulfill all his wishes.

Telugu cinema has always relished in being over the top. This isn't merely restricted to the mass hero vehicles but also the family dramas where the emotions are almost always magnified. Maruthi's Prati Roju Pandage is one of those films that sort of relishes being over the top but also reins in adequately well at times.

Sathyaraj at the centre of the film is a dignified presence and is terrific. His calm demeanor even as others around him are overtly melodramatic is what balances Prati Roju Pandage. Rao Ramesh at the other end of the spectrum is responsible for all the laughter. He sells the over the top portions superbly. The film largely works due to these two actors.

The forced action sequences keep sticking out but thankfully they are short and tolerable. Not all the actors are able to make the exaggerated emotions work and some come across as repetitive and annoying at times. The characters behave in a manner that is dictated not by the screenplay or situations. They are good at the start, behave cunningly in between and then they realize their mistakes in the climax. This is certainly the way these template flicks have to function but there is no real push or need for them in the narrative that convinces us as to why they behave this way.

Comedy is what keeps the film going and Maruthi proves that he certainly has it in him to make us buy into theatrics, provided he is aided by capable actors.

Bottomline: Formulaic but delivers what it sets out to.

Rating: 3/5