Movie: Mechanic Rocky
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: SRT Entertainments
Cast: Vishwaksen, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Shraddha Srinath, Sunil, Vishwadev, Naresh VK, Hyper Aadi, Harsha Vardhan, Viva Harsha, Raghuram and others
Music: Jakes Bejoy
DOP: Manojh Reddy Katasani
Editor: Anwar Ali
Production Designer: Kranthi Priyam
Action: Vijay, Supreme Sundar
Producer: Rajani Talluri
Written and Directed by: Ravi Teja Mullapudi
Release Date: Nov 22, 2024
Vishwak Sen found success earlier this year with Gaami. Following that, he released Gangs of Godavari, and now Mechanic Rocky marks his third theatrical release of the year.
Let’s analyze its strengths and weaknesses.
Story:
Rakesh, also known as Rocky (Vishwak Sen), takes over his father's (Naresh) mechanic garage and driving school.
While in engineering college, he was in love with Priya (Meenakshi Chaudhary), his friend’s sister. However, their relationship ended due to a misunderstanding.
Years later, they cross paths again when Priya joins his driving school. Upon learning about her brother's death, Rocky decides to help her, reigniting their romance.
Meanwhile, a don (Sunil) pressures Rocky to repay a promised sum of money, attempting to take over the garage when he fails to deliver.
At this critical juncture, Rocky meets Maya (Shraddha Srinath), an insurance firm employee who takes a strong interest in him and offers financial assistance.
Why is Maya so determined to help Rocky financially? And why does Rocky feel an unexpected connection with Maya, despite being in love with Priya? These questions form the crux of the story.
Artistes’ Performances:
Vishwak Sen delivers an effortless performance, perfectly suited to his strengths. Shraddha Srinath steals the spotlight with her portrayal, offering a surprising new dimension to her acting, particularly in the crucial episodes of the second half.
Meenakshi Chaudhary, who recently played wife roles in two films, takes on the role of a middle-class girl here and performs adequately.
VK Naresh as Vishwak Sen’s father, Sunil as the don, and Viva Harsha as the hero's friend deliver commendable performances.
Roadies Raghuram and Vishwadev Rachakonda are well-cast and fit their roles perfectly.
Technical Excellence:
Mostly shot in Hyderabad, the film's cinematography and production values are decent. However, Jakes Bejoy's songs fail to impress and come across as dull.
Highlights:
The twists in second half
Shraddha Srinath
Drawback:
Old-style narration in first half
Plenty of Routine scenes
Poor comedy episodes
Analysis
During the promotions of Mechanic Rocky, Vishwak Sen repeatedly emphasized the surprise elements in the film. He claimed that the trailer and promotional material deliberately omitted a crucial plot point, promising audiences unexpected twists that would unfold as they watched. At one point, he even compared the film's twists to those in Vijay Sethupathi's acclaimed thriller Maharaja.
However, as the film begins, the first half feels formulaic and over-the-top, frustrating viewers who were expecting something extraordinary. The routine narrative offers little novelty, with only a minor twist revealed at the interval. This stretch of the film feels exaggerated and fails to live up to the hype created during promotions.
Fortunately, the second half takes a completely different turn, shifting gears entirely. True to Vishwak Sen's promise, the surprise elements start to surface in the latter half, and the major twist explains the first half's seemingly routine storytelling.
Director Ravi Teja Mullapudi crafts a thriller centered around cyber scams, embedding a revenge drama within this setup. However, his decision to save all the critical cybercrime elements for the second half makes the pre-interval portion feel unnecessarily drawn out.
While the second half proves to be engaging, the film has its share of flaws. The hero’s character could have been more compelling, and several silly episodes and characters detract from the narrative. For instance, the comedy sequence with Hyper Adhi and VK Naresh, as well as a flashback where Vishwak Sen plays a grandfather, feels absurd and irritating.
The subplot involving Meenakshi Chaudhary and her brother also needed better development. Despite catering to a mass audience, the songs and comedy in the first half fail to leave an impact.
What works best in Mechanic Rocky are the twists in the second half, Shraddha Srinath's character, and her standout final scenes. These moments elevate the film and provide the much-needed thrills.
In conclusion, Mechanic Rocky feels like two different films. The first half is a tedious, overly routine affair that tests the viewer's patience, while the second half evolves into a decent thriller. If you can endure the lackluster pre-interval portion, the engaging twists and revelations in the second half make it a decent watch.
Bottom line: Mixed Rocky