Movie: Peddanna
Rating: 1.75/5
Cast: Rajinikanth, Nayanthara, Keerthy Suresh, Jagapathi Babu, Prakash Raj
Director: Siva
Produced By: Kalanithi Maran
Release Date: 4th November
A Rajinikanth movie is enough to create a massive hype and a festive atmosphere all over. And if the film itself is releasing on Diwali, then the fireworks are guaranteed to be tenfolds. Such has been the anticipation for the movie that Peddanna/ Annaatthe has created a pre-sales record at the US box office and has recorded 2021 highest premieres gross numbers. Director Siva has packed this mass entertainer and it’s loaded with commercial elements. But, does the movie have enough to set fireworks going?
Story: Rajinikanth plays Veeranna, a village president who is honest and fearless. His world revolves around his sister Meenakshi (Keerthy Suresh). She returns to the village after completing her studies and Veeranna plans to start looking for her marriage alliances. Meenakshi gets married and settles down in Kolkata where she starts facing troubles from multiple elements. How Veeranna protects his sister is what the film is about.
Performance: Rajinikanth as Veeranna is in his true element. He has been playing roles with rural backdrop since the 90s and the Veeranna character is a nice throwback to his roles from Arunachalam and Muthu. He looks super fun on-screen and does everything that’s expected from him. This, however, is the least challenging role from the Superstar and you would get a sense of deja vu quite often. Nayanthara looks gorgeous and performs to her best capabilities in a limited role. Meena, Khushboo, Prakash Raj, and even the antagonist Jagapathy Babu have stereotypical roles which they have been doing for ages. It is Keerthy Suresh who has got the maximum screen presence after Rajinikanth and she performs well throughout the movie. Her first-half performance as a fun-loving younger sister and second half portrayal of a distressed young woman are truly appreciable
Analysis: One of the biggest problems with the movie is the outdated plot. These kinds of saviour dramas with an all-encompassing hero might have worked in the 80s and 9s but not anymore. The plot is a mixture of old Rajini blockbusters and Siva’s own hit films like Vedalam, Veeram, and Viswasam. You can see the essence of these films sprinkled all over. The movie also takes too long to get to the point and the first half is primarily focussed on dishing out the formulaic comedy scenes and songs. As the movie progresses, you can sense the next scenes and their content, and it’s too predictable.
Plus Points:
Rajinikanth’s screen presence
Minus Points:
Formulaic
Over the top melodrama
Filled with plotholes
Poor Screenplay
Verdict: Peddanna is a film that takes the viewers for granted. Presenting the age-old story with Rajinikanth in the lead, Siva’s story could have been a bearable one had he gone for modifications from the tried and tested formula. While the premise of the story that is the brother-sister sentiment is still relevant, the lazy writing and poor screenplay make it tough even for Rajinikanth to salvage.
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