Anukshanam

"After the huge success of Rowdy, the combo of director Ram Gopal Varma and actor-cum-producer Vishnu Manchu is back with another crime thriller titled Anukshanam. Before its release, the movie has created lot of buzz in the media for two reasons i.e. its unique content and the novel distribution technology introduced to Tollywood by the makers of the movie.

As it is mentioned above, Anukshanam is a crime thriller and Vishnu Manchu's electrifying performance is the main highlight of the film. Ram Gopal Varma's novel concept and arresting screenplay, brilliant background score and amazing camera work are other attractions of the movie.

As usual, Ram Gopal Varma has chosen a wonderful subject for Anukshanam that has never been seen in Telugu films in the past. He is also successful creating a brilliant screenplay for it. The film has a very fast-paced narration that makes the viewers sit on the edge of the seats and watch it biting their nails. Vishnu Manchu, who is known for his action comedy movies, has essayed never-played-before role in Anukshanam and he has delivered a brilliant performance, which is the biggest asset of the film. Revathi, Navdeep, Tejaswi Madivada, Madhu Shalini and Brahmanandam have played important roles in the film and they have done justice to their roles. Their performances are also among the big assets of the film. "

The depth of research RGV and his squad conducts on these kinds of odd subjects serves as a lesson for budding directors to learn. Despite a fact that, serial killers are alien for our formula cinema loving audience yet it is the sincerity in attempt one should be pleased with. Without wasting an iota of time, RGV getting into the story from very starting frame resulted in a crisp appreciable run time. Unlike the old charm in RGV movies, screenplay of 'Anukshanam' is feeble with kindergarten dialogue writing depreciating the final essence of a serial killer concept. If at all dialogues would have been better, 'Anukshanam' is a sure shot edge of the seat entertainer. Technical team has done a good work using flow-cam technology where in cinematography, editing and background have aroused and sustained the interest of patrons. Production values of AV are good.

Anukshanam is a crime thriller which explores the mind of a serial killer. Needless to say RGV excels in this genre considering his past track record. There are many western movies with same concept but in India it may be the first of its kind.

In the western movies generally the villain have more edge than the hero and there are movies where the villains succeeds in outsmarting the heroes. Since its an Indian movie people expect that villain should be caught and punished. This film proves that we are certainly not ready to accept western climaxes.

The performances of revathi and vishnu are top notch. The movie is made of limited budget but the technical values are of good though there are some weird camera angles. There are some forced scenes especially those of brahmanandam's which water down the proceedings. Some scenes confuse us like the relation between killer and his mother, In a particular scene she asks her son to marry again and in the preclimax scene she admits that she knows how her son is.

All in all a good movie with excellent screenplay, direction and performances. RGV movies will not be viewed by masses like his previous outings unless some terrific word of mouth is in the air.

The first half of the film is simple and good. The film has a interesting concept that could bring you to the edge of your seats and there are some nail biting scenes and the director has maintained the film's flavor fresh and it appeals to everyone. While watching the film, you could relate it to yourself and feel the thrill. This psycho thriller films are very rare in Telugu and the attempt by RGV and Vishnu is appreciable. This is one different film and it will definitely entertain you.

Vishnu Manchu as the clean-shaven cop Gautam plays his part well. His six-foot frame and body language suit the character perfectly. Of course, at places his diction is a bit mumbled, but barring that he suits the part. Another important character in the film is played by Revathi. The aging actress plays her role with complete ease and seems to be least bothered appearing without any make-up at all. For her, playing the character of a visiting psychiatrist from the US who joins Gautam to help him trace the serial killer is a cake walk and she plays it as realistically as possible. But the real catch of the film is Surya who plays the serial killer Seetharam. He is neither slick nor sophisticated, but his rugged looks and his otherwise dumb expressions totally go with the psycho taxi driver character that he plays. Barringhis huge frame, his expressionless face can be easily lost in a crowd and that works for him. Apart from them, the film has an ensemble cast including Madhu Shalini, Brahmanandam, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Tejaswi. All of them put in okay performances, though Madhu Shalini could have toned down her histrionics.