Movie: LIE
Rating: 2.75/5
Banner: 14 Reels Entertainments
Cast: Nithiin, Megha Akash, Arjun Sarja, Sri Ram, Ravi Kishan, Prudhvi, Brahmaji and others
Music: Mani Sharma
Cinematography: Yuvaraj
Editing: S R Sekhar
Presenter: Venkat Boyanapalli
Producers: Ram Achanta, Gopic Achanta, and Anil Sunkar
Written and directed by: Hanu Raghavapudi
Release date: August 11, 2017
Nithiin had scored a huge hit last year with "A Aa" directed by Trivikram and his stardom had increased further. On the other hand, director Hanu Raghavapudi earned name for his last two movies. So, the teaming up of Nithiin and Hanu generated lot of interest.
The craze further went up when the stunning trailer hit YouTube. Did the movie shape up as good as the trailer? Let's check out...
Story:
National Investigation Agency is trying to nab a criminal for many years. The agency's commissioner (Ravi Kishan) comes to know that the criminal Padmanabham (Arjun) is now residing in Las Vegas and that he is expecting a specially stitched suit from Hyderabad.
The commissioner sends two agents to trail the courier in the US and nab him. On the other hand, Chaitra's (Megha Akash) marriage gets called off.
When she learns that the travel money for her honeymoon cannot be redeemed, she agrees to share the journey with another guy who is heading to Las Vegas. The guy turns out to be A Sathyam (Nithin). They agree not to tell truth to each other.
At the same time, Padmanabham comes to know that NIA has sent two officers to the US to nab him. Who are the officers and how A Sathyam is connected to this whole NIA mission?
Artistes’ Performances:
Nithin has gone for complete makeover in terms of look and acting style. So far, he has been playing lover boy kind of roles or soft-natured characters. But here, he gets to show off two sides – a happy-go-lucky guy and a guy on a secret mission. He has done total justice to his role. He looks classy during his mission in the US.
Newcomer Megha Akash is just okay but she has a poorly written character.
Arjun completely dominates the show. His characterization is terrific. He transforms into various getups with the usage of prosthetics to trick the Indian agencies and he has got them perfect.
Nasser and Sri Ram are both good in their roles which are very important to the story. Then there is Madhu Nandan, but his comedy has not worked out.
Technical Excellence:
Film has high standard technical and production values. Cinematography is topnotch. The story is mainly set in various cities in USA and the cameraman has captured the scenes and action episodes in Hollywood style. Production values are superior.
Music by Mani Sharma is good in parts. Couple of songs are catchy but over all the songs lack appeal on the screen. But he makes it up with this terrific BG score.
Make up artiste needs a special mention. His work is good. Action stunts are good. Dialogues written by the director are okay.
Highlights:
Nithin and Arjun's performances
Mani Sharma's BG Score
Cinematography
Drawback:
Inconsistent second half
Weak climax
Analysis:
Hundreds of movies have come in Hollywood about National Security agents going to foreign countries to nab a criminal or terrorist. Director Hanu Raghavapudi has used this theme for “LIE” with his own touch of intrigue and classiness.
We rarely get to see National Investigation Agency officers and their work on Indian screen. There are two threads in the film – a team of NIA hunting down the criminal who is known to public but is deceptive. Then the other thread is of the hero and heroine travelling together and due to turn of events, falling in love.
The director has combined both the threads very interestingly in the beginning. He first establishes Arjun’s character. Then moves to the story of heroine, her dream of heading to a romantic place in USA. And he cleverly brings in the hero into the story. Till the interval, the story, inconsistent way at times, holds our attention.
Post interval, the track between Nithin and heroine Megha Akash turns tepid. Because she acts more like a child or rather dumb. As the romantic part turns dull, whenever it spills into the main plot of mind-games between Arjun and Nithin, it becomes an obstacle for the hero.
While Arjun continues to hold the movie with his clever tactics, the game turns a bit monotonous as it drags on. Again the film gets into the grove in the middle part of the second half. Till the climax it goes well but the final moments seem hurried and not effective.
The good part of the movie is its concept – an international criminal trying to stop the Indian Intelligence officers with his clever tactics and Indian officers going all the way to nab him. The basic story line and the intrigue around a suit is quite novel. Only it needed a better screenplay in the second half.
Three episodes are highlights in the movie in particular – sequences leading to interval bang where Nithin’s real story is revealed; when Arjun turns into another character to know the whereabouts of the suit in USA and third one is Nithin bringing Arjun to Nasser’s house.
Both Nithin and Arjun have given their best. Though Arjun gets the meatier role, Nithin has also done his best. Apart from the basic plot, the movie’s production values are excellent.
Despite these many positives, it doesn’t totally appeal due to the aforementioned sequences in the second half and bad romantic part. Added to this, the heroine is hardly appealing.
Director Hanu Raghavapudi has once again proved that he can come up with interesting plots, but he should concentrate more on telling them with a dash of entertainment. Had he concentrated more on the second half, the film would have been better.
On the whole, it appeals to limited audiences as it works in some parts and some parts are a put off. There are equal number of good sequences and boring episodes.
Bottom-line: Half Interesting