Murali Krishna CH By Express News Service Movies are a great medium to not only captures the imagination of the audience but also to educate them about prevalent issues. Some films, while telling a story, also inspire us to live a bit differently and help transform our beliefs. However, there also those that lack passion and fail in the attempt. Mahesh Babu's 25th film Maharshi, unfortunately, falls into this latter category. The story pivots around K Rishi Kumar (Mahesh Babu), a disgruntled man with little taste for slogging to support a middle-class life. He grows up with the fear of failure, but works his way up to become the CEO of a New York-based techno giant. During his journey, he realises that he's lost three important people in his life and so, he decides to follow his heart in the hope of turning over a new leaf. On the face of it, director Vamshi Paidipally had an opportunity to create a compelling drama about a go-getter, who changes his perceptions about his people, his roots, and his own goals in life. He has chosen a relevant theme and a perfect star cast too. But the perfunctory screenplay brings down the film, which tackles the problems plaguing the agricultural sector. Although some of these issues are addressed the narration is bereft of honesty. The director seems to have borrowed the narrative style from Koratala Siva and created an unusual cocktail of Swades, 3 Idiots, Kaththi and Srimanthudu. The clunky romantic track between Mahesh and Pooja Hegde feels underdeveloped (as evidenced by their first meeting, match-making scene and the scenes that follow) and the uninteresting songs only slacken the movie's pace. I don't want to give away too much, and hence can't detail how this film ditches the interesting potential of its premise and gets too idealistic, preachy and predictable in the second hour. Suffice it to say, with a running time of almost three hours, the journey of Rishi is way too long and demands much patience on our part, with little to offer as reward. Mahesh Babu plays a character that becomes more complex as the plot thickens. His agitated relationship with his father (Prakash Raj), his impulsiveness, and flawless persona until the climax makes it hard for us to empathise with this character. However, the actor performs with his usual flair in a role that barely challenges him as an actor. Allari Naresh as Rishi's roommate and well-wisher makes his presence felt with a subdued performance. Rao Ramesh, Prakash Raj and Jayasudha added gravitas to their respective roles. Jagapathi Babu is reduced to a mere caricature, but Vennela Kishore, Sai Kumar and Rajeev Kanakala leave an impression in their brief appearances. KU Mohanan's cinematography is beautiful, while Devi Sri Prasad's music and background score are ordinary. At the end of it all, despite its best intentions, Maharshi fails to drive home its point. It is disappointing that Vamshi Paidipally, who has delivered compelling dramas like Brindavanam and Oopiri, has only managed to whip up this inspid cocktail of melodrama, which will likely appeal to Mahesh Babu fans alone.<doc-sep>Story: Rishi (Mahesh Babu) is a billionaire and the CEO of Origins, someone who has always strived for the success he now owns. His friend Ravi (Allari Naresh) needs help, how will he come through? Review: It’s not the first time that Indian cinema has tried to address a prevalent social issue through commercially entertaining means. And that is exactly what Maharshi does – going from being the story of a man who wants to dream beyond his means to someone who will go on to be the people’s saviour, even if it’s not something he actively seeks out. Rishi (Mahesh Babu) climbs the corporate ladder hard and fast till he’s the CEO of a company called Origins. It has always been his dream to achieve success and to not be like his father (Prakash Raj) whom he views as a failure. So much so, that his fear of failure keeps pushing him to do better than he ever wants to. But he soon finds out it is his college friend Ravi (Allari Naresh) to whom he owes his success. Seeking out his old friend at Ramavaram, Rishi is pushed into something far more than just repaying a debt he owes. Maharshi is a film that, while commercially entertaining, is hard to describe. One moment you’re looking at a man ascending to the role of a CEO and the other you’re laughing along with three friends being silly at college. The third moment you find yourself being pushed, just like Rishi, into something much bigger than you bargained for, something much bigger than him no matter how important he is. While Vamshi Paidipally manages to pull off the tale of a successful man being humbled by something as simple as a farm land for the most part, he unfortunately fills it with commercial fillers which prove to be a drawback. Maharshi is a tale that forces one to introspect and rethink their priorities in life, apart from of course; acknowledging the fact of how important the farming community is to any country. It is not the first film to do so nor will it be the last film either. But the way Vamshi goes about it is intriguing, not even trying to hide the fact that the protagonist Rishi only does anything for his own gratification, not to be the empathetic saviour. So much so that even when he tries to do more, it’s supremely easy for people around him to believe the worst of him. Mahesh Babu delivers a stupendous performance as Rishi, slipping in as easily into the role of a college student as he does into a man who wants to fight till he gets what he wants. Allari Naresh shines as Ravi, a man who goes from being one with the herd to someone who realises where his strengths lie. While Pooja Hegde delivers an honest performance as Pooja, someone who’s always sceptical of Rishi, her character only seems to be there to tick off the girlfriend-box. This story could’ve easily done without her presence, maybe even bringing down the long run-time minus the two duets she features in. Apart from the leads, the film features a stellar cast who deliver good performances, featuring names like Jayasudha, Rajeev Kanakala, Kamal Kamaraju, Rao Ramesh, Anish Kuruvilla, Jagapathi Babu, Vennela Kishore and even Mohan Bhagath, aka Geddam from C/o Kancharapalem who shines in the single scene he has. While Jagapathi Babu’s character Vivek Mittal gets enough screen-time, his character fails to rise beyond the usual greedy corporate honcho trope. Kamal Kamaraju and Anish Kuruvilla’s characters’ friction with Rishi too seems forced, just like the love track. DSP's BGM, apart from KU Mohanan's cinematography do justice to the film. Maharshi is a simple story weighed down by unnecessary, commercial elements. But do go watch this one if you’re a Mahesh Babu fan, you will enjoy it if the claps and screams in the theatre this reviewer went to are anything to go by. Watch it not just for Mahesh Babu and Allari Naresh’s performances but also for the story, if you don’t mind all the bells and whistles it comes with. It might not be entertaining all through, thanks to the draggy bits, but its heart is in the right place.<doc-sep>Maharshi Director: Vamsi Paidipally Cast: Mahesh Babu, Allari Naresh, Prakash Raj In one brilliantly conceived sequence of cultural conversion, Mahesh Babu playing the NRI tycoon Rishi Kumar, follows a wizened farmer into the paddy fields to literally get his feet dirty in the fields. It takes a whole universe of guts to shoulder one's responsibilities as an empowered citizen of India, as Mahesh Babu has done in this film. If you stay quiet you are accused of pacifism. If you speak up you're an exhibitionist. Mahesh Babu who is a formidable icon in Telugu cinema, won't remain quiet any more. Breaking free of his innate political reservations he speaks out in favour of farmers of our impoverished country in a voice that never strains to be heard. On the surface Maharshi is yet another star-vehicle for Telugu cinema's most revered contemporary superstar. To be sure, almost every frame of Maharshi is dedicated to eulogizing its leading man as he plunges into the role of a social crusader. The part sits easily on Mahesh Babu. He doesn't shy away from comfortably occupying the moral high-ground that the narrative allots him. Seldom does a cinematic hero looks so comfortable with his arrogance. Mahesh Babu Aplays a man who thinks the world of himself. He scoffs at his father (Prakash Raj, in a moving cameo), taunts his best friend Ravi (Allari Naresh who can't decide whether he wants to spare isolation) who hero-worships him and drives away his girlfriend (Pooja Hegde, inconsequential) because...well, she doesn't fit into his ambitions. The first-half with its quaint college is heartwarming without trying to be excessively cute. Director Vamsi Paidipally knows how to tap into Mahesh Babu's youthful image . The early scenes in the IIT campus are well executed. But it's in the second reformatory half that the protagonist Rishi Kumar, and his story come into their own. The village sequences create a sense of imminence and generosity for the cause of the farmers. The restorative image of a film that wants to heal the wounded selfworth of farmers is never squandered for effect.Every time Mahesh Babu speaks on the issue of bankrupt farmers we see not the star but the star's conscience spilling into the frames irrigating the driest corner with tears that long to be shed. Indeed, Mahesh Babu's transformative performance from arrogant conceit to conscientious farmer is arguably his best to date. He waltzes across the arching plot not missing a single step as he negotiates his character's offensive conceit. The only time he is persuaded to slow down his vehicle of social reform it is to break into a joyful jig and song with his romantic interest Pooja Hegde who looks like she walked into the wrong film. There are some powerful veteran actors in the film. But they are purposely hazy in their appeal, the sole exception being Allari Naresh who loves his best friend Mahesh Babu to death . That makes two of them. Commandingly, Mahesh Babu never hides his character's arrogance, Somewhere he knows thatA the sneer won't last. Good karma will. Maharshi exudes a sense of comfort and happiness in the midst of the wreckage and targeting. Rating: 4/5 Review by Subhash K. Jha Follow @News18Movies for more<doc-sep>Read AlsoMaharshi Movie Review Mahesh Babu's 25th film Maharshi , under the direction of Vamshi Paidipally and with Pooja Hegde and Allari Naresh as his co-stars released today amidst high expectations.Rishi ( Mahesh Babu ) is the CEO of a company named Origin in the US. He has strived to be successful in life and earn money since childhood because he believes his father ( Prakash Raj ) is a failure. He wants more from life than what he's handed and strives for it. But is he content with the monetary gains and success he finds, forms the crux of the story.The first half doesn't just see Mahesh Babu in his CEO avatar, it also sees him as an MTech student in Vizag. Allari Naresh plays his best friend Ravi, son of a farmer (Tanikella Bharani), wanting to go through college so he can find success in the US too. Pooja Hegde plays Pooja, a token 'girlfriend' character who just wants to settle down in life with Rishi. Rao Ramesh plays Mahesh Babu's college professor while Vennela Kishore plays his friend Kanna.The first half of Maharshi has its high moments thanks to the college scenes bringing in some humour and punch dialogues. The equation between Rishi and his father, and Rishi and Ravi is well established too. However, the friction between Rishi and Kamal Kamaraju 's character Ajay begins to feel forced after a while, with the character seemingly existing just to be a catalyst. The character Pooja also seems to exist just to prove a point.The scenes before the interval reveal a lot more than expected. With Rishi off to India right before the interval and things getting serious, it remains to be seen how the second half will fare.<doc-sep>
Maharshi Director: Vamshi Paidipally Cast: Mahesh Babu, Pooja Hegde, Allari Naresh, Jagapathi Babu, Rao Ramesh, Prakash Raj and Jayasudha Rating: 3/5 Mahesh Babu’s films can be generally categorised as commercial entertainers that are intended for the masses. In this process, some of his films worked big time while some sank without a trace. However, with films such as Srimanthudu and Bharat Ane Nenu, he seems to have cracked a success formula: Take a social issue and address it in the most commercially entertaining fashion possible and make it resonate with the audiences. He takes the same path in Maharshi, which follows the journey of a self-made man (Mahesh Babu as a billionaire) who rediscovers himself through farming. Vamshi Paidipally’s Maharshi has traces of Swades and AR Murugadoss’s Kaththi as it follows Rishi (Mahesh Babu), a man who is so consumed by his own success that he gets lost trying to understand its significance. In his pursuit for success and fame, he distances himself from his family, loses his best friend and the love of his life. When he realizes what he’s lost, Rishi goes on a journey of self-discovery as he returns to India to make up for his mistakes. Maharshi has nothing new to offer in terms of story. It spends a lot of time on establishing the fact that Rishi wants to succeed because he’s afraid of losing. He wants to succeed because he doesn’t want to end up being a nobody like his father. A point that could have been easily made in lesser time is needlessly stretched for close to two hours and the pay-off isn’t event worth the time invested. The film finally takes off in the last hour and it’s this stretch, which is elevated by a strong emotional core, which makes the film work. The highly emotional farming stretch is inarguably Maharshi’s biggest saving grace. If it was giving back to the society in Srimanthudu and being a responsible citizen in Bharat Ane Nenu; Mahesh Babu fights for the honour of farmers in Maharshi. The sub-plot about farming and the miserable lives of farmers hits you hard and Mahesh makes this part even more gut-wrenching with his performance. Unlike Kaththi, Maharshi doesn’t dramatize things and that’s a big relief. Vamshi redeems himself strongly with a relevant and highly emotional farming stretch which is inarguably the film’s biggest saving grace. Maharshi is a problematic film with big ideas but it tugs at heartstrings. Take out the farming sub-plot, Maharshi would’ve been a tiresome watch in which Rishi just won’t shut up with his sermons on success. Mahesh Babu, as a billionaire and a farmer is acceptable, but he somehow struggles to fit into the shoes of a college student. One can’t shake off 3 Idiots hangover in the college portion which barely works except for some scenes between Allari Naresh and Mahesh. Naresh plays Ravi, a hardworking son of a farmer with big dreams. Pooja Hegde has very little to do in a role that has absolutely no purpose. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop