Movie Crew
Cast: Kamal Kamaraju, Bindu Madhavi, Rao Ramesh, Varun Jonnada, Praneeth, Kameshwara Rao Others
Cinematography: Shyam Datt
Art: Narayana Reddy
Choreography: Prem Rakshit
Music: Manikanth Kadri
Lyrics: Vanamali
Analog Editing: K. Ravindra Babu
Digital Editing: Praveen Boyina
Producers: Sekhar Kammula, Chandrasekhar Kammula
Direction: Anish Kuruvilla (debut)
Release Date: November 14, 2008
Plot
After movies like Dollar Dreams, Anand, Godavari and the teen hit Happy Days, Sekhar Kammula's brand of cinema has been established, and more importantly, appreciated. Avakai Biryani sounds so interesting, and one would expect entertaining, clean (clean entertainment being the key word here), feel-good cinema coming from the Kammula clan. Directed by Anish Kuruvilla, fiery film maker who expressed himself in his debut Confessions of a Filmmaker, Avakai Biryani starts off on a promising note but ends up being a disappointment.
Mainly, there is nothing novel or refreshing in it-a Hindu-Muslim love story in a rural set-up with relatively new faces and everyday situations and people. Where Kammula gets the audiences' attention is with a tight script that refuses to drag and ends at the right time, humor and scintillating music; all the departments where Kuruvilla's feature debut lacks.
Akbar, an orphan in Devarakonda is a part-time auto driver, paper boy and B.Com fail (3 times). Laxmi is a potential Avakai entrepruener, newly shifted to this village and a B.Com graduate. Their love story intercepted with village politics and dynamics, their dreams and aspirations, heartbreak and survival in their lives is what this combination is all about.
Story, Screenplay and Direction
The lack of consistency is an issue. The first 20 minutes and introduction to the village and Akbar's life is endearing. You expect an Iqbal. There is a lot of detail in some of the scenes and nothing looks out-of-place. Post-break though, the movie slows down tremendously. After the Auto-race...which is actually a really neat idea. The whole movie is full of really neat ideas. All those ideas work on paper and must have seemed like a good idea to put all those neat ideas together. Still would have been, if it wasn't for all the fillers and the last one hour which drags and drags till Laxmi's family set their hotel up.
The problem is, you expect a whole lot from that team. Because if you compare this movie with the last few Telugu releases (with one exception) this is Paradise (Heaven tends to get a little boring after a point, of course). But in general, there is nothing that makes this movie a memorable experience. This is also Formula, if you come down to it. Unfortunately or otherwise, bigger or at least better things are expected out of this team. And they better live up to it.
Crisper editing, more humor and better music could have made a huge difference to the movie. Using Devarakonda as opposed to some nameless village, portrayal of village dynamics, Akbar's journey in general, Auto race and CM's visit are the pros. Dragdragdrag in the second half and lack of stronger line post break are major cons.
Performances
Kamal Kamaraju is believable and has good chemistry with Bindu Madhavi as Laxmi. Bndu Madhavi is raw and new, and it might take a movie or two more to understand her potential. She looks the part of course. Akbar's friends add some flavor to the movie while Rao Ramesh as Masterji is another Villain (we like villains here, don't we?). Laxmi's brother-sister: cute, well-written characters you can identify with and the kids justify thier roles. Laxmi's parents (stereotyped) are okay.
Music and Dance
The music is not bad, but that's about the best you can say about it. The romantic song post-break is sweet. The celebration song is peppy, and the choreography decent but seriously routine. Gives you awful déjà vu. The background score is okay.
Last Word
Some of us have gotten this remark forever on our report card- 'Can Do Better'. Hopefully, Kuruvilla's next won't carry the same remark. There is potential. That much is obvious; we need to wait and watch. Just not Avakai Biryani-it's not totally fullfilling.
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