Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Nani, Catherine Tresa, Lucky Sharma, Tabar, RK and Charan Raj
Cinematogrpaher: Santosh Rai
Music: Sai Kartheek
Direction: Krishna Vamsi
Producer: Ramesh Puppala
Release date: 7th February, 2014
Finally, one of the longest pending flicks of Telugu Cinema Industry, Paisa directed by Krishna Vamsi has released today. The director already told that he is making a movie to show money as 11th incarnation. Let us see how his incarnation convinced audiences.
The CONTENT:
Prakash (Nani) is a guy in old city doing anything to win Cash and earn 1 Crore rupees such that his life will settle. Still he got ethics that he should earn easy money but not cheat someone else. Noor (Catherine) is in love with Prakash, and works in garment shop to support her family. Noor’s family has to pay debt to a rowdy-sheeter, which otherwise she is threatened to get sold as a Mujra dancer. At the same time, Prakash starts flattering Sweety (Lucky Sharma), Minister’s (Charan Raj) daughter such that he could become rich easily. When Minister engages his men to deliver 50 Crores hawala money in a car, accidentally Prakash and Noor escapes in the same car to avoid chasing goons. Why are they getting chased, what happens to that money now, what consequences Prkash and Noor has to face? Watch it on big screen.
The EFFORT :
On-Screen:
Nani is picture perfect, energetic and talented. With each film, he is improvising his mettle as actor and showcasing that he alone could carry the whole flick on his shoulders. No doubt, Nani is the next big star to watch out and Paisa proved it again. His emotional performance, comic timing and energy in fights are top notch. In the role of Prakash alias Pra‘Cash, he did an amazing job.
Catherine Tresa looks beautiful and perfect like a Muslim lady in Noor role. She got to put up only one expression though. Though she filled glamour in a song, rest of the time she is just okay. Lucky Sharma (some say her name is Siddika Sharma) enacted a role named Sweety, where showing glamour is top priority. As an actor she fails, but her glamour and bikini show might enthral some cine lovers.
Casting Charan Raj in a minister role that requires more villainy is a poor decision, as the senior actor failed to deliver it. At the same time actor RK, the guy with tonsured head, shows some sustance, while old city actor Tabar who played hero’s friend is good.
Rest of the cast like Raja Ravindra and Duvvasi Mohan have done small roles that got neither importance nor any performance delivery.
Off-Screen:
Krishna Vamsi’s strength comes from his ability to deliver even a simple scene with huge emotion and punch. He generally picks lukewarm emotion, and stuffs with exaggeration and makes it hit hard and appealing. Once again KV succeeded in that area, but failed to couple his directional talent with interesting story. Somehow, he became lagging these days when it comes to narrating crucial scenes and it is no different in Paisa.
Like in all KV’s movies, Cinematography is of same style, shot by Santosh Rai. However, maybe due to poor production budget, quality of locations in certain scenes, lighting and art direction are worst. Music by Sai Kartheek is not so peppy, but his background score grabs attention though he used a ‘single tune’ throughout. Action scenes and fights are not so effective like in previous Krishna Vamsi flicks and this is also due to low-budget it appears.
The PLUSES:
· First half
· Nani’s performance
· Two glamorous songs
· 50 Crores scene in second half
The MINUSES:
· Not so engaging second half
· Routine climax
BREAKDOWN:
Krishna Vamsi tried his hand at crime-comedy this time, but started to project it like a crime thriller. This time, he failed once again to give a maximum entertainment to audiences because his narration got too many curved roads that lead to confusion. Points like this should be handled simply and narrated in a straight fashion.
Movies starts on interesting note, with Nani introduced as a money-maniac road side guy with his gang of friends. At the same time, scenes that explain how politicians invest money to gain power, and do scams to get their investment back are awesome. First half introduces us to various characters, various dandas that happen in old city like marrying innocent Muslim girls to Arab sheiks, hawala acts, prostitution in Mehendi Gully and street politics. All sound awesome, and the interval block gives goose bumps for its brilliant canning and twist. In second half, then starts four teams including a Minister, his goons, a police officer, another MLAs goons, guys who want Noor and Nani, and Nani himself running for missing 50 crores. The whole act pumps excitement for audiences and the way all the subjects end up at one point, is brilliant, sans logic.
Krishnavamsi relied more on his ability to add impact to simple scenes. However, audiences are quite matured these days and look for logic and conviction even in commercial cinema. At least proper stuffing of some comedy show and logics would have helped him high in this crime comedy cum thriller. Only Nani is the right actor chosen by KV as the young hero breathes fire with his performance. Some scenes like where Nani finds 50 crores, where crooked police team gets themselves killed are kickass. The pace KV narrated first half creates huge impact and created heavy expectation for second half. Had the director lived up to expectations in second half, then Paisa would have become a blockbuster. But still this is a Paisa vasool flick if promotions are made, though producer will not see huge profits.
If a new guy directs a movie like ‘Paisa’, definitely audience will roll out red carpet for him. But a senior like Krishna Vamsi, the man behind stunners like Ninne Pelladutha, Murari and Khadgam shouldn’t sound so hollow. To wrap up, KV missed a big hit with his lose of sight on screenplay and script in second half.
The FINISHING Line: This ‘Paisa’ is 50% Dollar, 50% Rupee!