Guntur Kaaram movie review: The promised punch or the spicy masala is missing in this Mahesh Babu film

Director: Trivikram

Cast: Mahesh Babu, Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishnan

The first thought that I had after Mahesh Babu starrer Guntur Kaaram is that it's time for the Telugu industry to reimagine a commercial spectacle. After the success of films such as Salaar, KGF, Vikram and others, it is clear that the audiences' love for commercial spectacles has not receded. However, there is a need for viewers to be engaged with the film throughout its runtime. Trivikram, who is considered a masterful writer has unfortunately struggled with this aspect in Guntur Kaaram.

To start off on the positive aspects of the film, the central plot of the film is about familial relationships, the conflict within families and outside of it that affects the overall power dynamics. Similar to A Aa in which Nadhiya plays a controlling mother to Samantha, Guntur Kaaram also centers on a mother, played by Ramya Krishnan, who initially comes off as manipulative and toxic. The story is about a son who seeks reconnection and validation, and his journey is interspersed with some mass moments.

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The humor for the most part is refreshing. It goes against the grain and is charming because Mahesh Babu is also relaxed. His banter with Vennela Kishore also leaves us chuckling. So what is it that goes wrong with this film?

Trivikram's strength lies in exploring these relationships from different perspectives. However, the film fails to make a strong impression because the narrative struggles with the placement of the theme. Is this a family drama? Or is this a mass entertainer? The answer is that Guntur Kaaram aims to be both. It would have been a great outing of the both aspects came together seamlessly. It doesn't. Instead, the shift between these two aspects become jarring.

The scenes that are effective feature conversation between family members. It could be between Mahesh Babu's character Ramana, and his aunt portrayed by Easwari Rao, or between him and his father Sathya portrayed by Jayaram. Even the clashes between him and his maternal grandfather portrayed by Prakash Raj is good. It doesn't come together cohesively though. This story could have been an emotional exploration of the mother-son relationship. The mass elements do nothing but hinder the film's effectiveness.

What could have possibly been the saving grace of these moments is a good background score. Unfortunately, the film failed in this aspect as well. Forget rousing the audience, the score did not even gain miniscule attention. The first big fight, the big climax confrontation -- all of it lacks the dramatic kick.

So in a sentence, Guntur Kaaram is far from being inflammable. In fact, it doesn't even have the punch that comes from the spicy chillies that the film takes its name from.

Rating: 1.5 (out of 5 stars)

Guntur Kaaram is playing in cinemas

Priyanka Sundar is a film journalist who covers films and series of different languages with a special focus on identity and gender politics.

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