Movie: Gandeevadhari Arjuna
Rating: 1.5/5
Banner: Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra
Cast: Varun Tej, Sakshi Vaidya, Nassar, Vimala Raman, Vinay Rai, Narain, Roshini Prakash, Manish Chaudhari, Abhinav Gomatam, Ravi Varma, Kalpalatha, Baby Veda and others
Music: Mickey J Meyer
DOP: Mukesh G
Production Designer: Avinash Kolla
Editing: Dharmendra Kakarala
Action: Lazlo (Hungary), Vijay, Venkat, Juji (UK)
Presented by: Bapineedu B
Producer: BVSN Prasad
Written and Directed by: Praveen Sattaru
Release date: August 25, 2023
For the first time, director Praveen Sattaru and actor Varun Tej have joined forces. The director is known for his fast-paced action thrillers, while Varun Tej is in dire need of a hit.
Let's see if their collaboration has paid off.
Story:
Aditya Raj (Nasser), an Indian Union Minister, lands in the United Kingdom to attend a UN Climate Change Summit. When the minister's security chief, Vijay, is injured on a mission, he asks Arjun (Varun Tej) to take his position. Arjun arrived to the UK for his mother's treatment and now agrees to step in the place of Vijay.
Aditya Raj is under threat from Ranveer (Vinay Rai), the owner of CNG Company, who wants the minister to endorse his business as India's watchdog. How will Arjun save Aditya Raj and ensure that the minister delivers his speech at the UN meeting?
Artistes’ Performances:
Varun Tej's height and physicality make him a good fit for the part of an army guy turned security agent. That's all. The role offers him nothing other than being a dashing agent.
Sakshi Vaidya, who made her acting debut in "Agent," plays yet another uninteresting character. She plays the officer who assists the minister and appears throughout the film but has no significance in the entire scheme.
As the corporate company’s owner, Vinay Rai fits well. Vimala Raman's character lacks depth as well.
Abhinav Gomatam makes an appearance late in the film and acts clueless. Narein as British officer is another joke of a character.
Technical Excellence:
Lavish visuals and grand setting are the positive elements. The producers have spent a lot of money to make the film appear opulent, and Mukesh's cinematography contributes to the film's slickness. Only the production values and cinematography should be praised.
Mickey J Meyer's music is functional. The editor also does mechanical job.
Highlights:
Grand production values
Drawback:
Thin story
Dull narration
No emotions
No gripping elements
Outdated climax
Analysis
Although "The Ghost" failed at the box office due to a weak plot, director Praveen Sattaru appears to have not learned from his mistakes. Things take a turn for the worse in "Gandeevadhari Arjuna," where he makes several silly blunders. The narration in this film is even less engaging due to its pretentious and shallow plot.
Filming took place in the United Kingdom and Budapest, resulting in lavish visuals and settings. However, there isn't a single exciting sequence to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The action sequences fail to excite, and the "sentiment" scenes are also ineffective.
The film attempts to address the issue of developed nations shipping their harmful waste to poorer nations. However, this theme serves only as a starting point, as the film follows the standard formula of an action flick where the hero rescues a minister.
The love track involving the hero and the heroine, Sakshi Vaidya, and their eventual separation, lacks excitement. The music doesn't contribute much either, except for a single love song early in the film.
The director has created one-dimensional characters. It's unclear why Vimala Raman is portrayed as Vinay Rai’s wife, as it doesn't seem to impact the primary plot point of the villain abducting her daughter.
The purpose of Abhinav Gomatam's character in the film is also unclear, as is Narein's role in the story. It seems the director didn't give much thought to the plot before starting the film.
Furthermore, there are numerous logic loopholes throughout the film.
Overall, "Gandeevadhari Arjuna" seems to be an attempt to dress up hero Varun Tej in a sleek agent suit and have him perform action stunts. However, the film's narration falls as flat as the highways in the UK. Compared to his previous film, Sattaru's "The Ghost" was far better.
Bottom line: Arjuna Phalgunaa!