Cast: Mahesh Babu, Samantha, Kajal Aggarwal, Pranitha, Sathyaraj, Naresh, Brahmaji, Jayasudha, Revathi, Saranya, Easwari Rao, Rao Ramesh, Tanikella Bharani, Sayaki Shinde, Nassar, Tulasi, Krishna Bhagavan, Subhaleka Sudhakar, Chandini Chowdary
Banner: PVP Cinema
Music: Mickey J Meyer
Cinematography: R Rathnavelu
Art Director: Thota Tharani
Editor: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Producer: Prasad V Potluri And Mahesh Babu
Writer-Director: Sreekanth Addala
Brahmotsavam is all about loving your family
Plot:
The movie opens with Samantha’s character narrating her tryst with a certain family during her visit to India for a festival. Sathyaraj is a business baron who started a paints manufacturing company from the scratch and, now, a proud owner of painting half the city with his colors. He has an extended family and they celebrate every moment together like there’s no tomorrow. Mahesh is the son of Sathyraj and he has his own ways to life. He is progressive and mingles with everyone and deeply ingrains the seeds of thought planted by his father. Kasi Annapurna (Kajal) romances with Mahesh in the first half and passes the baton to Samantha in the second. Pranitha and a bevy of girls are typical maradallu. A series of misunderstandings and a fight for one upmanship pulls Rao Ramesh, a relative and close aide, away from Sathyaraj’s family. The rest of the story is about how Mahesh goes on a quest to find his family’s roots and reunites everyone as the movie culminates at Srivari Brahmotsvam.
Performances:
Mahesh Babu: He is a natural charmer and wears few different mannerisms in this film. Like in SVSC, he is seen as a guy to drool over. He plays his role with aplomb and makes his presence felt in every frame. Be it the comical scenes with the heroines or the intense emotions with his father and family. He pulls it with poise and perfection.
Kajal Aggarwal: She flashes like a dream in the first half with her overboard NRI look. Though the presence was magnetic, you end up craving for more.
Samantha: She binds the entire film and becomes a pivotal string in its fabric. Her chemistry with Mahesh reminds you of something akin to Ranbir and Deepika from Tamasha but it’s utterly refreshing.
Pranitha Subhash: She falls into been there-done-that zone with few lines to mouth and look good under overdone colors.
Sathyaraj: He spells magic on screen by giving a different dimension to every scene with his performance.
Rao Ramesh: He juggles with comedy and seriousness with equal force. Rao Gopala Rao voiceover to his actions brings the roof down.
Jayasudha: She gets more to talk at crucial junctures of the film where she radiates her brilliance.
Revathi: A typical mom who laughs and emotes, and plugs in fine lines of trust when required.
Analysis:
Director Sreekanth Addala always stays in the zone of families, values and how the world can come together with fine deeds. He has his mark everywhere. However, he drags the screenplay by adding a repetitive dose of the same sermon. This goes dreary and drag-worthy at places. The finest performances of the actors suck out the dull moments. Otherwise, the film seems to be too long.
Most of the female characters are introduced with their names but the director plays it really smart by not giving out the names of any principal male leads. So there’s a passing reference of Mahesh Babu as Manodu.
There are few clichés like a selfie-obsessed heroine and our hero born with sickeningly sweet qualities, the interval block and the climax. Most of the scenes are devoid of logic but they stand out as individual entities. Overall, Addala tries to add more spice and colors to an already known and seen story.
Merits:
- Mahesh’s on-screen presence and his comical episodes.
- Performances of Rao Ramesh and Samantha.
- Dialogues, background music and cinematography.
Demerits:
- Routine storyline.
- Long run-time.
- Sermonizing the same philosophy many times.
- Blink-and-miss appearances of many actors.
Music:
The film is overloaded with songs– in full and in bits. Mickey J Meyer is partly impressive with his music, but Gopi Sunder pumps in gold with his pulsating BG score. Be it the dance on ice or little those little moments that adorn the narrative. All gets a classy touch with his near classical score. His music punctuates every scene and the emotion slowly seeps into you.
Others:
Sreekanth Addala does a cameo and as he doubles up as a dialogue writer, he brings the essence of life. Some may look real simple but they are the slice-of-life moments. He teams up with Krishna Chaitanya to dish out razor sharp lines such as Nammaleni nijaalante abaddalanukunna… kaani adhbuthaalani telisiuni… Slang maaristhe gaani emotion workout ayyelaa ledu.
Rathnavelu oozes color out of every frame. He uses the backdrop of a family and their celebration to weave magic on screen. The aerial shots in the second half call for an applause. He ensures that with his lends life and love reflects in every scene.
Verdict:
Brahmotsavam is all about overcrowded frames and overboard emotions. The film takes a deep-rooted approach to reiterate that it’s all about loving your family. It takes forward the belief of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which Sreekanth Addala propagated in his last outing SVSC.
