Movie: Akhanda
Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Balakrishna, Pragya Jaiswal, Srikanth, Jagapathy Babu
Director: Boyapati Srinu
Produced By: Miryala Ravinder Reddy
Release Date: 2nd December

After a period of lull, Balakrishna’s Akhanda has released amidst massive hype and celebrations. Balayya-Boyapati combination holds a special place in fans’ hearts and if the teasers and trailer are to be believed, the intensity and mass elements have been packed in much bigger quantities this time around. Akhanda’s success could pave way for many upcoming Tollywood biggies and it certainly has all the elements on paper to be a successful mass entertainer for sure.

Story: The story follows a typical Boyapati Srinu movie plot. As we could see from the teasers, the movie like Simha and Legend features two Balakrishnas who are brothers separated at birth. One is a farmer with deep concern and accountability towards society. The other grows up with Aghoras and is essentially the protagonist of the film. What issue makes their paths cross and how the duo with such different lives appear at a common problem in their lives and how it is solved what the story is about.

Performance: Balakrishna’s performance in such high-intensity roles needs no further introduction. He possesses the required ferociousness, and screen presence to carry off such roles in style. The Akhanda character though is a pleasant surprise and showcased a slightly new side of Balayya. Srikanth looks and performs convincingly as the antagonist but lacks the punch that was shown by Jagapathy Babu, back in Legend. The comparisons are bound to arise and Srikanth does a decent job. Pragya Jaiswal, Shamna Kasim, and others are mere spectators to proceedings while Balayya takes the charge.

Analysis: The movie packs all the mass elements in the right portions and has enough to keep the ‘B’ and ‘C’ centers grooving. However, somewhere down the line, the story feels weak, and writing lets the film down. The length and low entertainment quotient can make even ardent commercial movie lovers lose focus on the proceedings. While Boyapati has packed the movie with stereotypical mass elements, some focus on the other aspects would have made this a much more enjoyable watch.

Plus Points:

Balakrishna

Action Episodes

Interval Block

BGM

Minus Points:

Length

Pragya- Balayya love track

Nil Entertainment

Verdict: Balakrishna’s Akhanda is a must-watch if you are a fan of mass entertainers with high-intensity fights. Special credits must go to Thaman for elevating these sequences with thundering BGM. The film packs action sequences and heavy dialogues like there’s no tomorrow. It is certainly a feast for fans but sections of the audience might also feel the length and writing wearing them down.