Whether we find 'Nannaku Prematho' intelligent depends on our idea of what constitutes intelligent screenplay. One opinion can be that two contrasting worlds exist together in this film. In one world take place scenes like our geometrician-hero finding out the kidnappers' hideout by putting to use his accurate mathematical genius with surgical precision. In another world, there take place scenes like a whole set of experts as well as the richest businessman in UK being fooled into believing that there is natural gas out there. Yet another half-baked mind game is gone wrong when the hero's knowledge of the villain's food habits, etc turns out to be only mildly relevant, if at all.
NTR plays Abhiram - part lover boy, part geometrician, part emergency-time hacker, part lovely son who can revive his father from the dead. Subrahmanyam, his father, is counting his days and it is when he reveals to his three sons the villain of his life. Abhiram takes it upon himself to avenge his father's fall from grace at the behest of the fast-deteriorating father. He picks a team of three (Tagubothu Ramesh, Naveen Neni, Liza, Van der Smissen) to lead an operation against Jagapathi Babu (as Krishnamurthy). Abhiram has thirty days's time to reduce Krishnamurthy into a pauper.
Most part of the film is about how Abhiram, minus any resources, takes on the might of the ruthless businessman all with his mind game.
Sukumar pens a screenplay that is haltingly intelligent. His attention to detail being terrific, his portrayal of NTR as a subtle actor stands out. After a while, sometime in the second half, inconsistency creeps in as far as NTR's characterization is concerned. The father-son element is thanklessly subdued. If the projection of the IQ of NTR and Jagapathi as their paramount identity is interesting, the caricaturish way of winning the game (read hacking, yes, hacking!) is quite un-Sukumar and very, very Tollywoodish. In an instance of juvenile skit propped up by CG, rare species are translocated overnight - and the whole Spain is happily fooled!
The episodes that are interesting are also those that are best watched attentively. The kidnapping episode is one such. Operation LEAD, which ends with an emotional touch (Madhoobala's cameo, which is surprisingly not concluded) is another good episode; it is in this episode that Rakul Preet Singh is involved, the villain is jolted out of complacency (watch a shaken Jagapathi trying to stop his daughter from entering a jail as a ball slips from hands) and NTR is romantic in one scene and confused moments later as Rakul changes her identity from being Abhiram's potential lover to her father's loyal daughter. Watching NTR being on the verge of losing the game as Jagapathi sadistically sends a Trojan horse (read a bouquet) is heart-rending. This is another very good episode well shot and well executed.
NTR-Rajendra Prasad bonding is not wow by any stretch of imagination. The one scene that is good is where the hospitalized father, confident about his son's mission, asks a demoralized NTR, "Krishnamurthy ki time entha icchav?"
NTR's good scenes are many, but the best has to be his explanation to Rakul as to how he found out the kidnappers' den. NTR is outstanding in this scene. His dances are great; 'Naa Manassu Neelo..' and 'Love Me Again..' being the best. His diction and demeanour are genuine. In a long time, a crorepathi hero is shown like a crorepathi hero till the last scene.
As much as the makers raised the audience's expectations about Jagapathi, the villain doesn't evoke much disgust. His body language is ordinary, he has no memorable dialogue (who wants to watch a Sukumar character say lines like "Eduguthunte criminal antaru.."?), and no subtlety can be traced.
Rakul Preet Singh, Rajendra Prasad, Rajeev Kanakala, Tagubothu Ramesh, Asish Vidyarthi do their parts well, and some of their characterizations are actually sketch. Rakul adds the required glamour quotient and does her part very well when she is warning NTR that he is running out of time.
DSP's music and BGM are a major asset, so also Vijay C Chakravorthy's cinematography.
Verdict: Nannaku Prematho has its share of intelligent moments. It has its hits and misses, too. Watch out for NTR's spectacular and subtle act.
