Soukhyam Review

It looks like the writers and director of this film were confused as to what to do with the villains and after undergoing painful ''creative'' labour pains, they derived ''soukhyam'' by turning the villains into buffoons just for the climax.  As for the hero, he is given a guitar or some musical instrument with which he accomplishes his mission in a ''jil''-ful way.  Perhaps, kissing a heroine might consume more calories.

''Soukhyam'' begins with an exaggerated comedy scene involving some funny victims of the hero''s alleged troubling ways.  They are the hero''s extended family and friends, who all promise to redeem the would-be mediocre rom-com into a family entertainer in second half, but who eventually make us cringe at the idea of a family entertainer later.   Seenu (Gopichand) has just spoiled the show for the timeless bachelor Jayaprakash Reddy (this one is an outdated idea done to death in TFI).  He later rubs Pradeep Rawat, the biggest gangster of Hyderabad, on the wrong side when he beats his son to pulp in the middle of a street for stopping an ambulance (this idea is as old as the first gangster character in Indian cinema, perhaps).  Three months ago, Seenu had fallen in love with Sailaja (Regina Cassandra) while on a train journey.  PR (played by Rajan) is the most powerful gangster in Kolkata.

Seenu''s destiny is tied to that of Sailaja.  He has to cross three hurdles before he can hope to marry Sailaja - they are PR, Pradeep Rawat, and, funnily, his principled father, played by Mukesh Rishi, who hates families with violent history for a sentimental reason!

It is ridiculous that a character artiste like Rajan who has no special image is portrayed in larger-than-life mode.  It is even more ridiculous that such a character is reduced to a mere footnote later.  If anything, the hero''s tryst with him can be justified only because Sapthagiri (seen in a couple of scenes) is his relation!  It is ridiculous that Pradeep Rawat behaves ruthlessly all through except in the climax where he and his able-bodied henchmen entertain Brahmanandam.  And Brahmanandam''s presence was felt necessary because the climax was meant to be a cross between Sampoornesh Babu-ism (brought to you by Gopichand playing a musical instrument in the climax) and Rohith Shetty-ism (brought to you by the rest).

After elevating Gopichand as someone who after making a challenge will never look back (delivered through some unintentionally funny punch line.  It is surprising that someone like Sreedhar Sipana has written such lame stuff), the film presents the sorry scene of a dreaded gangster allowing his daughter''s lover to elope with ease and twiddle later.  Just as you think what is it that the hero is waiting for instead of marrying Sailaja, here comes that boring tough dad. And when the entire family is aplogizing to Mukesh Rishi, the scene looks so heavy with earth-shattering drama that you start wondering if the director thinks it is some legendary actor who is the dad.

Prithvi Raj, Krishna Bhagwan and others are seen parodying Bahubali and more.  In an extended comedy scene, they almost take the film to the level of a B-grade tv show, complete with in-your-face double meaning dialogue.  Brahmanandam is meant to remind us of a range of movies, including Legend, Indra, Gudumba Shankar, Sundarakanda, etc, etc...

Gopichand looks handsome and he is complimented for looking good more than once in the film and this is definitely not good.  His character doesn''t get the right elevation after a point and loses out, consequently.  Regina looks beautiful, but like some other characters, she is damned with doing some bad drama in the latter part.

Posani Krishna Murali and Shoukar Janaki are seen in jaded roles.  Swetha Bharadwaj in the item song sizzles.

All the technical departments don''t redeem the film a bit.

Verdict: Sreedhar Sipana''s story is half-baked, AS Ravikumar Chowdary''s direction has lacunae and sans any saving grace, the film refuses to come out of the ''soukhyam''-zone.

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