Movie: Acharya
Rating: 2/5
Banner: Matinee Entertainments, Konidela Productions
Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood, Ajay, Tanikella, Nasser, Jisshu Sengupta, Regina Cassandra, and others
Music: Mani Sharma
Director of Photography: Thiru
Editor: Naveen Nooli
Action: Ram-Laxman, Vijay
Producer: Niranjan Reddy, Anvesh Reddy
Written and directed by: Koratala Siva
Release Date: April 29, 2022
Since its launch, “Acharya” has generated hype among mega fans and film lovers as well. Though the film got delayed due to the pandemic, “Acharya” sustained interest as it marked the first collaboration between Chiranjeevi and successful director Koratala Siva. Besides that, it also stars Ram Charan alongside his father megastar Chiranjeevi.
Let’s find out whether the film lives up to expectations or not.
Story:
Dharmasthali is a temple town nestled in Siddhavanam forest. Paadhaghattam is an adjacent tribal village that protects Darmasthali.
Local municipal chairman Basava (Sonu Sood) has plans to hand over the place to a businessman for mining, and he creates anarchy there.
A Naxalite leader Acharya (Chiranjeevi) steps in Dharmasthali and begins to set things right.
Why did he come to this place? What is his real motive? What is his connection with Siddha (Ram Charan), who used to run a gurukul in this area?
Artistes’ Performances:
Megastar Chiranjeevi is not a teacher, but a Naxalite in the film. For some reason, everyone calls him Acharya (teacher). The veteran star-actor has tried to be as natural as possible in the given role. Generally, Koratala Siva pens powerful and dignified roles for his heroes. But here, those qualities are lacking. Chiranjeevi’s portions in the first half of the film are sleep-inducing. However, he brings the intensity required in the action episodes. The megastar leaves his mark in scenes involving Ram Charan in dance movements.
Ram Charan is an asset to this film. As Siddha, he infuses energy into the proceedings. There is nothing much to talk about his performance, but he holds the film in the second half. Pooja Hegde as Ram Charan’s love interest is okay.
Sonu Sood’s characterization has misfired. It’s a clichéd role, and the actor does it routinely.
Jissu Sengupta seems to have stepped in from another film. Mahesh Babu’s voiceover adds no value to the story at all.
Technical Excellence:
The film has a stunning production design. The temple set worth crores of rupees is grand. The visual effects have further added richness to the visuals. The cinematography and production design are the main highlights of this movie.
Though Mani Sharma has given catchy songs, only “Bhale Bhale Banjara” has worked on the screen, thanks to energetic dance steps from Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan.
Highlights:
Ram Charan’s sequences in the second half
Lavish production values
Drawback:
Clichéd story and screenplay
No effective emotions
Incoherent sequences
No contemporary look
Sleep-inducing moments
Analysis
After delivering four hits in a row, Koratala Siva has made “Acharya”, which marked megastar Chiranjeevi and his son Ram Charan acting together in full-length roles.
After the initial five minutes, the story comes to the main point: a mining businessman has his eyes on the forest land, and the locals have been resisting.
The backdrop of a temple town and the protagonist being a Naxalite leader aside, the story is clichéd. Umpteen movies have been made on that point of a businessman/corporate company trying to grab a village/forest land.
Director Siva begins the story with Chiranjeevi and his attempts to set things right in Dharmasthali and later (in the second half) reveals the story of Ram Charan. A tried and dusted template!
Despite having a super hit song “Lahe Laahe” and an item song, the first half of the film really tests our patience with proceedings that are as predictable as they come.
Koratala Siva has never presented his movies in such an outdated setting. Be it “Mirchi” or “Srimanthudu” or “Bharath Ane Nenu”, he presented the first half of the film in an energetic manner with good songs.
Since Chiranjeevi is a senior hero, Koratala Siva seems to have no clues about holding our attention in the first half sans romantic thread or any other material. He doesn’t bring the character of Ram Charan before the interval. So, with these limitations, the film has become a boring affair until Ram Charan arrives in the scene.
Though the second half has nothing new, it is fairly better than the dull and archaic narrative of the preceding sequences. Ram Charan, for some moments, brings energy. But the film again slips into mediocrity. Finding freshness in any of the scenes is like searching for a needle in the haystack.
Plus, there is no contemporary feel in any of the scenes. The temple town and their behavior make us believe that the film is a period drama set 50 years ago. Uninspiring background score further spoils the final moments.
Koratala Siva is known for writing powerful dialogues and coming up with one or two terrific mass moments in the second half. The film doesn’t offer his trademark writing style at all.
“Acharya” seems to have suffered from long delays and many reshoots. But primarily, the soul is lacking and the narrative is totally boring. In nutshell, watching “Acharya” without falling into sleep mode is difficult.
Bottom line: Saana Kashtam