Movie: Srikakulam Sherlock Holmes
Rating: 2/5
Banner: Sri Ganapathi Cinemas
Cast: Vennela Kishore, Ananya Nagalla, Siya Gowtam, Ravi Teja Mahadasyam, Muralidhar Goud, Anish Kuruvilla, Bhadram, and others
Music: Sunil Kashyap & Gyanni
DOP: Mallikarjun Naragani
Editor: Avinash Gullinka
Fights: Dragon Prakash
Produced by: Vennapusa Ramana Reddy
Written and Directed by: Writer Mohan
Release Date: December 25, 2024
Vennela Kishore has been striving to achieve success in lead roles, but his efforts have yet to bear fruit. His latest film, Srikakulam Sherlock Holmes, is now out.
Let’s see if this time it brings him the breakthrough he’s been hoping for.
Story:
In 1991, Police Inspector Bhaskar (Anish Kuruvilla) from the Vizag region was assigned to a different task following the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Before leaving, he enlisted the help of a private investigator to solve the murder of Mary within seven days. The private detective, Om (Vennela Kishore), proudly refers to himself as the "Srikakulam Sherlock Holmes."
Om quickly narrows down seven suspects in the case, including Balu (Ravi Teja), Brahma (Ananya Nagalla), a police officer, and a group of fishermen.
Will the detective succeed in solving the case within the seven-day deadline?
Artistes’ Performances:
Vennela Kishore is an exceptional comedian, often stealing the spotlight in numerous films with his comedic brilliance, even outshining the narrative and storyline. However, when it comes to choosing leading roles, the actor seems to struggle with selecting characters that suit him best. Despite being the protagonist in this film, his screen time is limited, and his comedic efforts fail to make an impact.
Among all the characters, Ananya Nagalla stands out with the most substantial role.
Her character has an unexpected depth, and she makes the most of the opportunity, delivering a commendable performance.
Other actors, including Siya, Prabhakar, and Anish Kuruvilla, perform their roles effectively, contributing to the film's overall execution.
Technical Excellence:
The film also scored poorly in terms of technical quality, with no technician delivering a standout performance.
Highlights:
Ananya Nagalla
Couple of episodes here and there
Drawback:
Poor execution
No entertainment
No gripping narrative
Tiresome middle section
Analysis
The concept of beginning the narrative with a pivotal historical event is intriguing, at least in theory. Srikakulam Sherlock Holmes starts with the aftermath of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. From this unique premise, the story quickly establishes its central conflict: a detective tasked with solving the murder of a woman on a beach in Visakhapatnam in 1991.
However, while the film starts off with promise, it falters quickly, captivating briefly before ending abruptly.
What follows the initial setup is a lackluster detective drama. With Vennela Kishore, a renowned comedian, in the titular role, one might expect a humorous twist to the detective’s investigation. Unfortunately, the film fails to deliver on either humor or intrigue, falling short as an investigative thriller.
The story revolves around Vennela Kishore’s character identifying seven suspects, interrogating them, and uncovering various events related to the case. However, his role lacks depth, primarily serving to question suspects without adding much engagement.
The subplot involving Ananya Nagalla and Ravi Teja’s romance, which leads to the murder of Mary on the beach, fails to hold the audience's interest, and even the interval twist is underwhelming.
The second half of the film introduces additional investigations involving a suspended police officer and a group of fishermen, but this segment also lacks compelling or thrilling elements. After a prolonged stretch of monotonous storytelling, the film ends with a climax that is only moderately satisfying.
The director, who previously worked as a writer for other filmmakers, chose a script devoid of excitement or engaging twists for his directorial debut.
Overall, Srikakulam Sherlock Holmes is a tedious detective drama. It neither attempts to be a modern take on Chantabbayi nor succeeds as a gripping investigative thriller, ultimately coming across as a half-hearted effort.
Bottom line: Substandard Holmes