Is Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy's director Surender Reddy smitten, err, influenced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali on canvas basis? Or has every South heroic-laden film necessarily have to be a grand spectacle? Let Surender Reddy answer that question in one of his interviews and we go across to analyse his latest celluloid offering.
Straight to Chiranjeevi who has put his heart and soul in the film. The energetic freedom fighter unleashes a massive onslaught against the Britishers and the build-up till the popcorn break makes your adrenaline stir. A child being thrown into the fire, an old man forced to run a race with a horse are scenes that will stay with you. Chiranjeevi's marriage against his wishes makes you feel for him. And then, an Englishman's head being chopped off in water makes you sure that SRNR is a case of 'well begun is half done'. Cheers!
But when you come back to settle in your chair, the stirred adrenaline flows only in spurts. What I mean is that the film loses its steam in the second half for at least a good 45 minutes. People are running all over the screen and some jarring songs and background score only sprinkle salt on the wounds. You feel that a repair job is not going to happen and simply wait for the heroic climax. But suddenly again, Surender Reddy puts it on the running track alright.
I am going with THREE-AND-HALf