Movie: Daaku Maharaaj
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Sithara Entertainments & Fortune Four Cinemas
Cast: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Pragya Jaiswal, Bobby Deol, Shraddha Srinath, Urvashi Rautela, Chandini Chowdary, Satya, Jeevan Kumar, Shine Tom Chacko, Ravi Kishan and others
Dialogues: Bhanu-Nandu
Screenplay: K Chakravarthy Reddy
Music: S Thaman
DOP: Vijay Kartik Kannan
Action: V Venkat
Editor: Niranjan Devaramane, Ruben
Production Designer: Avinash Kolla
Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya
Directed by: Bobby Kolli
Release Date: Jan 12, 2025
"Daaku Maharaaj" marks the first collaboration between Nandamuri Balakrishna and Bobby Kolli, the director of the blockbuster Waltair Veerayya starring Chiranjeevi. With three consecutive hits under his belt, can Balakrishna work his magic once again?
Let's find out.
Story:
A Madanapalle estate welcomes Nanaji (Nandamuri Balakrishna), who takes up a job as a driver. However, his true mission is to protect Vaishnavi, the estate owner’s granddaughter, who is in danger from the local MLA, Trimurthulu Naidu (Ravikishan).
After Nanaji eliminates all the gangs under Trimurthulu Naidu’s control, one of the gang members uncovers Nanaji’s real identity and informs Balwanth Singh Thakur (Bobby Deol) that the Daaku Maharaaj is hiding in Madanapalle.
The story then flashes back to reveal how Balwanth Singh Thakur obstructed government engineer Sitharam’s efforts to bring water to the parched Sonapur region in Madhya Pradesh. As events unfold, we witness Sitharam’s transformation into a daaku (dacoit) to fight against Balwanth Singh and save the locals from their plight.
Artistes’ Performances:
Nandamuri Balakrishna showcases three distinct looks in the film, and his makeover is impressive. His performance, as expected, is intense in key moments and captivating in action sequences. He delivers plenty of punchy dialogues to satisfy mass audiences and his dedicated fans.
Bollywood actor Bobby Deol, who amazed everyone with his performance in Animal, takes on the role of a menacing villain. However, his screen time is limited, and his overall impact is minimal.
Shraddha Srinath, playing Bobby Deol's wife, delivers commendable performance in a neat role. Pragya Jaiswal portrays Balakrishna’s wife with finesse, finally landing a role devoid of glamour or song-and-dance routines. Her character added nothing big to the narration.
Chandini Chowdary and Divi Vadthya appeared like padding artistes, while Urvashi Rautela adds a dash of glamour. Shine Tom Chacko and Ravi Kishan stick to their usual styles.
Sathya, Jeevan Kumar, and VTV Ganesh attempt comic roles that fail to leave a lasting impression. Sachin Khedekar plays a standard grandfather's role, while Aadukalam Naren is adequate as a minister. Makrand Deshpande delivers a tidy performance.
Technical Excellence:
Vijay Kartik Kannan, whose previous work on Rajinikanth’s “Jailer” won high praise, has presented the film with his stylish cinematography. Rich frames and an aesthetic look have worked well in certain portions.
Thaman has once again excelled with his background score, though his songs are just regular. Thaman and Vijay Karthik have elevated the movie with their work in the first half of the film.
Writing has nothing new with storyline, but worked with punch dialogues. Editing is immaculate.
Highlights:
Solid visuals and cinematography
Thaman’s background score
Drawback:
The final moments
Formulaic writing
Analysis
Nandamuri Balakrishna has been in stellar form recently, with his last three films achieving commercial success. His latest outing, Daaku Maharaaj, takes the same route as mass-action genre. The opening hour of the film hints at director Bobby Kolli has shown Balakrishna in action mode from the beginning of the film.
The first half builds suspense as Balakrishna's character strives to protect a young child, while a police officer arrives to arrest him, identifying him as the most wanted daku in Chambal. The lead-up to the flashback revealing the story of the daaku is engaging and keeps the audience intrigued.
The intermission scene featuring both Bobby Deol and Balakrishna in action mode, set in two different backdrops is a standout moment.
As expected, the second half progresses in a cliched but gripping manner. Right from the visually stunning sandstorm sequence, the post-intermission portions are packed with savious-moments. The final act is more predictable but ended with poetic justice.
Bobby Deol's introduction at the interval is impactful, but his character fizzles out in the second half, reduced to a generic villain. Shraddha Srinath’s role adds despth to the conventional narrative.
In conclusion, with its rich and stylish presentation, an average narrative stepped up to the next level. The film’s saving graces are its impressive cinematography, high production values, Thaman’s powerful background score, and a fairly engaging first half. It may be a treat for fans but just a passable watch for the rest.
Bottom line: Ok Maharaaj