How would you consider this: A rustic goon who rules the town, an ardent filmmaker who takes the extra mile to make a movie out of a gangster. Well, unusual?
Siddharth plays Karthik, a youngster aspiring to become a director. When a producer asks him to prepare a script about a rowdy, he leaves for Kurnool to observe Attack Seshu (Bobby Simha), who is a rowdy. Taking Attack Seshu, the thundering and gruesome one as his case study, he enlists Karunakaran as his aide. What follows is a cocktail of action, thrills, and comedy.
Taking a total U turn from his previous flick Pizza, Karthik Subbaraj takes the sails of a gangster movie and predominantly strikes chord with Simha who easily is the star performer. It's a treat to watch both Sid and Simha in two neatly-etched roles. (Simha's debut in Telugu will be the Sundeep Kishan-starrer Run. So, watch out for this National Award-winning talent).
If Simha's menacing looks and body language is a treat to watch (it reminds a lot of Anurag Khashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur which had raw violence yet the audience enjoyed the movie thoroughly), Sid is perfectly cast as well. Considering the plot of the movie, the less you know before you enter the theatres, the better.
The writer weaves subplots in an interesting manner. The subplots complement the main plot. Chikkadu Dorakadu has its share of lighter-veined scenes involving Siddharth and Karuna, the funny moments from Gangster’s sidekicks, a young lass who picks on sarees, and the climax portions.
After Naalo Okadu, this movie gives Sid a chance to showcase a new side to his acting talent. He is complemented quite awesomely by Karunakaran, who enters without much fuss and finishes with aplomb. His attempt at innocent comedy is fresh with energy and tickles the funny bone.
Lakshmi Menon looks more like an extended cameo than a mainstay character. There is no single central character that overplays itself.
The runtime could have been trimmed off, though. Santhosh Narayan’s music is adept; the BGM electrifies the screenplay. Karthik Subburaj is here to stay, his lateral thinking on taking a leaf out of a gangster tale, changing elements of nature and serving the dish with the right amount of ingredients is no easy task, however he leaves his signature all over!
Gavemic U Ary's cinematography is lucid.
Verdict: A well-made drama with its share of highs and lows. Watch out for the screenplay and the performances of Siddharth and Bobby Simha.
