Cast: Vishal, Anjali, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Santhanam, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Sonu Sood, Nithin Sathya, Manobala, Manivannan, Sadha (guest appearance)
Crew:
Music by Vijay Antony
Written by Venkat Raghavan, Sundar C
Cinematography by Richard M. Nathan
Edited by Praveen KL, N. B. Srikanth
Directed by Sundar C
Produced by Gemini Film Circuit
Rarely, we see films that secure a wide release after 12 years of initial production. Vishal starrer Madha Gadha Raja has been waiting in cans for so long to secure a release but it got a huge one for Pongal 2025 and surprisingly, it became a blockbuster. Even many Tamil critics praised Santhanam's trademark one-liners and now, the movie directed by Sundar C, is releasing in Telugu on 31st January 2025. Let's discuss about the film in detail.
Plot:
Madha Gaja Raja aka MGR (Vishal) lives in a village in Araku with his police inspector father. He runs a Satellite TV Cable operating business and meets Madhavi (Anjali) trying to help her father, a criminal. They both fall in love but MGR's father doesn't agree for their marriage. Now, his school master (Sarath Saxena) invites him along with his three friends to his daughter's marriage. There he understands that his friends have been wronged by a Satellite TV giant, K. Vishwanath (Sonu Sood). How will he solve their problems? Watch the movie to know more.
Analysis :
The movie tries to be true to the age old formula that expired at least a decade and half ago. Even the formula looks weakly assembled in a script that feels like written taking audiences for granted. A lot of scenes don't have any sort of continuity. It would be grave mistake to expect sound logics but even the connectivity between scenes and sequences looks a big miss. Story keeps jumping from one moment to another without any bridge between certain scenes.
Still, the one-liners from Santhanam and Manobala track in second hour keep the proceedings interesting to a bit. With huge emphasis on commercial formula, Sundar C, did not really care about writting a thick plot and good characters or an engaging drama. The films tries to be light-weight entertainer at the same time, it doesn't get the entertaining core set as well. Sundar C delivered some great comic entertainers like Kalakalappu, Winner but this one seems even weaker than those.
Vishal could carry this commercial vehicle with easy and flexed his abs as well. His performance is neither great nor bad. He could deliver what Sundar C expected from him. Characters of Anjali and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar have been written so poorly that you fail to understand their purpose in the film. It feels like the director wanted to show some glamor in the film and hence, cast them. Even Sadha's special song and Arya's cameo are similarly treated.
Santhanam could really bring out some best punches and Manobala played his part well in the second half. While it is evident that the makers did not want us to take the film seriously, even for one bit, it is hard to route for any character or even for scenes. The comedy punches work in bits and it seems like if you enjoy that comedy you will like this film, too. The hero-villain conflict, the overdose of masala elements everything just feels like executed in trying to make a film, quickly.
Well, as we said earlier, if you are looking for a serious entertainer that keeps you in splits throughout, this is not the film. But if you don't mind to watch a film that is light-weighed and has few sparks of comedy, then you can give it a try. Keep your expectations low to enjoy this light-weight entertainer.
TeluguOne Perspective :
Comedy works in major portions in this commerical entertainer.
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