Bangarraju Review

The movie's cast comprises Ramya Krishna, Kriti Shetty, Naga Chaitanya, and Akkineni Nagarjuna. The film's director is Kalyan Krishna Kurasala, whereas Akkineni Nagarjuna is the producer. The banner for the movie is Annapurna Studios, and the music is composed by Anup Rubens.

Nagarjuna had a hit with Soggade Chinni Nayana during Sankranthi, and now he's back with the sequel, Bangarraju. Naga Chaitanya replaces Nagarjuna in the sequel and will play the role of Bangarraju's grandson. The real-life father-and-son acting duo last worked together in Manam, which has piqued interest in their reunion for a Sankranthi release. The trailer for Bangarraju has a vibrant rural setting and storyline. It will be interesting to see how well Chaitanya portrays Bangarraju since Nagarjuna previously played the character. Check out our movie review for this currently playing film.

About Story

The movie features the character Bangarraju, played by Nagarjuna, who can only leave Earth once he has fulfilled his purpose there. After Bangarraju passes away, his wife Sathemma, played by Ramya Krishna, joins him in paradise. However, Sathemma wants Bangarraju to help their grandson, Naga Chaitanya's character, by sending him back to Earth. Unfortunately, Bangarraju is unaware that he has been brought back to complete a divine task. In the movie, thieves attempt to steal the Bangarraju family wealth that has been protected for generations. To stop them, Bangarraju enters his grandson's body and works to organize everything, protect the family's wealth, and convince Junior Bangarraju to marry Naga Lakshmi, played by Krithi Shetty.

Performances

Nagarjuna delivers an exceptional performance as Bangarraju Senior, with a flawless portrayal of the character's accent and attitude. His role is prominent in the movie, overshadowing even the supporting cast, as Naga Chaitanya plays the lead. Nagarjuna's consistency throughout the film ensures its overall quality. Naga Chaitanya played a rural role for the first time and did an excellent job with his lines and moments. However, some gaps still prevent us from fully seeing Bangarraju's character in him. It is natural since Nagarjuna also appears as Bangarraju. Krithi Shetty portrays Sarpanch Nagalakshmi, who frequently clashes with Bangarraju, and she does a decent job.

When she appears on screen, she immediately captures the audience's attention. She has good chemistry with Chay. Ramya Krishna and Rao Ramesh give their usual performances. Vennela Kishore tries to bring humor, but most of his jokes are old. Govind Padmasoorya plays a convincing villain. The rest of the characters are okay.

The Technicalities

The movie Bangarraju looks visually appealing, but the plot remains unchanged from its original version. The soundtrack consists mainly of folk songs and lively and enjoyable background music. The editing of the film is well-done. However, numerous minor incidents are overemphasized in the first half to bolster Jr. Bangarraju's character. Despite this, the movie features impressive cinematography and high-quality production values.

Thumbs Up

• Colorful Scenes
• Nagarjuna

Thumbs Down

• Artificial Comedy
• Weak Story

Analysis

Bangarraju, despite being a sequel to Soggade Chinni Nayana, largely follows the original storyline. The core concept of Bangarraju's spirit inhabiting his son's body is revisited, but this time, he does so to rectify numerous past mistakes. Significant aspects, such as the antagonist disguised as a gentleman and the criminals' attempts to loot the temple's riches, remain unchanged.

The director attempted to increase the screen time for the young lead couple's love story. However, the situations portrayed in Naga Chaitanya and Krithi Shetty's brief stories, such as her visit to his home for a family member's seemantham, Bangarraju's birthday celebration, and his heroic act of saving a child from a raging bull, are all considered cliched.

The romantic plot and other additional scenes prolong the story, making it tedious for the viewer. However, Krithi Shetty's performance during the Sarpanch moments is impressive. The sequel has a similar structure to the original, with a family member who is secretly evil like Nasser. The opening shot suggests that Bangarraju Jr.'s close friend Aadi, who is generally very kind, may be involved in something suspicious. However, this theme is a bit overused and clich�d.

In the first scene, the criminals attempt to rob the temple, and this repetitive theme continues with the holy thread or ring that prevents Bangarraju from entering the body of his son or grandson.

In the movie, Bangarraju often possessed the body of the junior character. However, now the senior Bangarraju is reaping the benefits of this. Nagarjuna frequently intervenes to help Chay in romantic, action-packed, and conflict situations. Despite wearing the same outfit and remaining in the background throughout the play, Nagarjuna unintentionally dominates Chaitanya.

The movie's climax is surprising, as Bangarraju cannot do much. However, Ramu, Bangarraju's father, comes to the rescue and saves the day. Nagarjuna's performance in the finale is outstanding as he saves his grandson again, just like he did with his son before. The pre-climax action scene is well-received by viewers.

Conclusion

Although Bangarraju's basic concept remains the same as the original, there have been some minor changes, including adding a romantic tune. With no significant competing films and a rural setting filled with songs and battles, Bangarraju has a great chance to attract audiences and succeed at the box office during the Sankranthi festival. In conclusion, the sequel to Soggade is average, receiving a rating of 2.75 out of 5.