Venkatesh
and Pawan Kalyan have teamed up for the multi-starrer ‘Gopala Gopala’. This
keenly awaited film is the only big budget Telugu movie for this Sankranthi and
expectations are sky high. Can Pawan Kalyan make a good impression as God? Let
us find out in this review.
Story :
Gopal Rao
(Venkatesh) is the owner of a shop that sells devotional items. He himself is
an atheist, but he cashes in on the weakness of devotees and makes a handsome
profit selling idols and other such stuff. He despises Godmen and
superstitions.
However, his
life takes a turn for the worse when his shop is destroyed in an earthquake.
When he seeks compensation from the insurance guys, his claim is rejected based
on the ‘act of God’ clause. Fed up with this, he decides to drag God himself
into the battle. He sends legal notices to all known Gods and Babas, seeking
compensation.
A keenly
watched legal battle ensues and Gopal Rao makes many powerful enemies in the
process. However, Gopal Rao is a good man at heart and God (Pawan Kalyan)
himself enters his life to support him in this crusade.
What follows
is the fight for the discover of the true meaning of God.
Plus Points :
- Pawan Kalyan
is the heart and soul of Gopala Gopala. He is at his magical best and he
carries the entire second half on his shoulders. Pawan uses his charm and
charisma to great effect in this modern take on God. This is a film that Pawan
Kalyan fans can be proud of.
- Venkatesh
has essayed the role of Gopal Rao well. He is very comfortable when it comes to
emotional scenes and he uses this skill ably during the courtroom scenes. The
scenes involving Pawan Kalyan and Venkatesh are very nice. Their fondness for
each other is very apparent.
- The film has
some very deep and philosophical dialogues. Most of these have been written for
Pawan Kalyan and they sound very effective when uttered by him. The hospital
scene and the scene where he explains the Dharma of the world, giving the
draupadi vastrapaharanam example, stand out.
- Posani
Krishna Murali brings some humour into the film with his trademark mannerisms.
Courtroom scenes, especially in the final stages of the film, have been
executed well.
Minus Points :
- The movie
takes off slowly and things start looking up only after Pawan Kalyan enters the
scene. The scenes that show the emotional trauma experienced by Gopal Rao when
his shop is destroyed could have been better. They lack intensity.
- There is a
lot of lag in the second half. If not for the charisma of Pawan Kalyan, the
slow pace of the second half would have killed the film completely. The climax
scenes have been dragged out needlessly.
- If you have
seen ‘PK’ and ‘Oh My God’, the film and theme will seem very familiar to you.
You many even feel slightly bored. Shriya has a very limited role in the film.
Mithun Chakraborthy’s characterisation may not find many takers among Telugu
movie lovers.
Technical Aspects :
The film has
good production values. Cinematography is pretty decent. Anoop Rubens has done
a good job with the background score and the ‘Bhaje Bhaje’ song has been shot
well. Dialogues are a big asset for this movie. Editing is a bit of a let down.
There is a lot of lag in the second half and the editor should have taken care
of it.
Kishore
Pardhasani (Dolly) has done a good job as a director. The scenes which have
been added in the Telugu version, like the one where Venkatesh steps on Pawan
Kalyan’s hands, have been penned well.
Verdict :
‘Gopala
Gopala’ is a very suitable family entertainer for the Sankranthi season. It is
pleasant, entertaining in parts and it also forces you to question certain
practices that are followed blindly in day to day life. As a bonus, you get to
see two charismatic actors – Pawan Kalyan and Venkatesh, together on screen.
This is enough to overlook any issues the film has. Go and watch the movie with
your family this Sankranthi, but make sure you do not go in expecting ‘masala
entertainment’.
Critic’s Rating – 3.25 /5
BOX OFFICE POTENTIAL : High