Movie: Pantham
Rating: 2.5/5
Banner: Sri Satya Sai Arts
Cast: Gopichand, Mehreen, Sampath, Mukesh Rishi, Jayaprakash Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy, Pavitra, Satya Krishnan, Prudhvi and others
Dialogues: Ramesh Reddy
Screenplay: K. Chakravarthy and Bobby (K.S. Ravindra)
Music: Gopi Sunder
Camera: Prasad Murella
Art: A.S. Prakash
Producer: K.K. Radhamohan
Story, direction: K. Chakravarthy
Release date: July 5, 2018
'Pantham' is a landmark film for macho star Gopichand as it his 25th venture. Gopichand has been telling confidently that this would become sure shot hit. His confidence and the trailer has generated good buzz.
Let’s find out how the film has fared.
Story:
Vikranth (Gopichand) steals money from politicians using various methods. He successfully robs some black money from the state health minister (Jayaprakash Reddy) and home minister (Sampath).
Meanwhile, he falls in love with Akshara (Mehreen) who was impressed with one of his noble deed.
As his romantic track is blossoming, home minister with his men tracks down Vikranth’s identity and nabs him.
Why Vikranth has been stealing money from those ministers and who is he?
Artistes’ Performances:
Gopichand has gone for makeover and his appearance in this film is quite good. Though he has not delivered anything different here, the confidence in his face has worked well for many scenes.
Mehreen plays yet another routine regular heroine’s role. Prudhvi’s comedy as Vadakam Rao is stale.
Srinivasa Reddy and Gopichand’s ‘ding ding’ mannerism is cheap imitation of Ravi Teja and Srinivasa Reddy’s act in ‘Raja The Great’.
Sampath as main villain is not very impressive. Jayaprakash Reddy, Rallapalli and others are okay.
Technical Excellence:
The film has lavish production values. Richness is seen throughout. Prasad Murella’s camerawork is good. However, the film’s music is a damp squib.
Gopi Sunder has given quite passable songs. Editing is ordinary.
Highlights:
Climax court scene
Lavish production values
Drawback:
First Half
Music
Comedy
Predictable narration
Routine scenes
Analysis:
Major complaint from audiences has been Gopichand’s movies have turned too predictable of late. Still, the star is not coming out from them.
Even for his 25th movie “Pantham”, the star has selected an outdated plot – the story of Robin Hood who steals money ‘for a cause’. Ever since Shankar directed “Gentleman” in 1990s came out, several directors have rehashed the theme many times.
In “Pantham”, new director K Chakravarthy has borrowed the same plot and has added elements of Mahesh Babu’s “Srimanthudu”.
In “Srimanthudu”, Mahesh Babu, the son of a rich businessman, leaves all his comforts in his life to work for his village and develop it. In “Pantham” too Gopichand’s back story is son of a rich businessman, yet he does Robin Hood activities.
To be fair, the cause that this Robin Hood fights for has enough material to make a good masala movie. However, the director’s screenplay and narration tests patience. Entire first half is too predictable and clichéd.
Such regular commercial movies work wonders only when it is packaged with good entertainment, catchy numbers and right amount of glamour.
“Pantham” falls flat on these three factors. Music is a letdown. The romantic episodes between Gopichand and Mehreen (with her dull act and lack of oomph factor) are quite boring.
Prudhvi’s comedy track is clichéd too. Entire first half drives on these elements. The first half makes us demand ex-gratia from the makers. It is that boring.
Hansa Nandini sequence which has scope for an item song to provide relief from dull sequences is also wasted.
Thankfully, it comes to the point in the second half and the point that how some politicians and officials divert the ‘ex gratia’ funds making public suffer is told in an interesting manner. The court sequence is also engaging.
“Votuni aidu velaku ammukoni… avineeti leni samajam kavali… corruption leni country kavalante ekkada nundi vastayi’ and other dialogues in the final scenes are good.
New director Chakravarthy has played it quite routine. All in all, “Pantham” is another boring masala movie. It is a too regular Robin Hood story.
Bottom-line: Nothing Special