PNS | Hyderabad
Plot:
The story is set in the 2000s in Warangal. Manu (played by Shiva Kandukuri) has taken to goondaism due to circumstances. He is loyal to a strongman named Rudra (played by ‘Daali’ Dhananjay), who is in turn loyal to a power-hungry Mayor named Janardhan Kaka (played by Srikanth Iyengar).
Manu’s past is riddled with agony and heartbreak. His lover, Jennifer (played by Megha Akash), is no longer in his life. And his future with the many girls (Priya Vadlamani, Harishitha Chowdhary, and others) he bumps into doesn’t appear bright either, making him abruptly part ways with them after making them believe that his promises are eternal.
Analysis:
Manu Charitra is proof that the influence of the sensibilities of Arjun Reddy (2017) continues to linger. The hangover is strong in some scenes, while in others, the film tries to acquire a style of its own despite the very obvious old-school dialogue.
Beginning with the performances of the lead actors, this film is a one-man show. Shiva Kandukuri delivers a terrific performance, especially the emotional scenes between Shiva and Megha Akash, which work really well.
His character has multiple shades, and Shiva did complete justice to his role and the writing of the movie. Even in the fight scenes, Shiva gave his best natural performance. Another attraction in this film is Megha Akash, who was cute and gave an equally cute performance for a rugged story like this.
The rest of the actors were in their element, and they delivered what the story demanded.
Director Bharath Peddagani stages the love story against a couple of backdrops.The college campus portions go into establishing Manu as an academically accomplished individual with a penchant for making strong, instant decisions.
Jennifer’s religious background comes into play. This aspect is later blended with local skirmishes that produce unintended consequences. The ramifications of spur-of-the-moment behaviour come to haunt Manu and others.
Giving contrasting social backgrounds to the girls (one is a Christian, one is a Muslim, and one is a Church-going Gujarati Hindu) would have gone into making the fabric of the film special, but less-than-inspired writing makes it all look random. A positive is that the film doesn’t attempt to convey any message. It is primarily a love story, relegating the political machinations of two competitors to the background.
Manu’s characterization shows potential.One day, he comes across as a philanderer obsessed with short-term relationships. But, deep down, he is generous and an academic champion who would have become a corporate leader had circumstances not forced him to become a goon. He gets accused of emotional manipulation and, even when wronged, marches towards self-redemption at his own pace.
At just 15 minutes short of a 3-hour runtime, Manu Charitra keeps you entertained with its varied love stories and the characterization of Shiva Kandukuri. Gopi Sunder’s songs and the musical quality of the romantic track keep the film entertaining. Suhaas, as Manu’s friend Nandu, gets an arc of his own. The flashback portions in the first half are helped by a suspense factor.
The production values are decent. The small-town aesthetics help the film. With most films set in metros these days, Manu Charitra tries to be as rooted and organic as possible. Editor Prawin Pudi was given the freedom to retain or discard scenes at his discretion.
Conlusion:
Enthralling music and an impactful performance by Shiva make Manu Charita a good watch.
Rating: 2.75/5
