Nandamuri Balakrishna's 'Lion' has hit the screens today. The movie is the first for Balakrishna after becoming an MLA from Hindupur and it is also the first film after the blockbuster success of 'Legend', so it is coming in with good buzz. Directed by debutante Satya Deva, the film has Trisha and Radhika Apte as the heroines. This is our review.
Story :
Godse (Balakrishna) wakes up from a head injury induced coma. The trauma causes memory loss and Balakrishna is unable to recollect his past. But he keeps getting headaches that bring some vague memories of another life.
Godse thinks that he is Bose. But those around him deny this fact. He travels to Hyderabad to try and uncover his past but his efforts end up in failure. Convinced beyond a doubt that he really is Godse, he decides to listen to his parents (Jayasudha and Chandra Mohan) and return back to Mumbai.
This is when an unexpected event happens. Chief Minister Bharadwaj (Prakash Raj) comes into picture and this brings Bose back to life. Who is Bose? What is the Godse connection? Are Jayasudha and Chandra Mohan really Godse's parents?
That is the story of 'Lion'.
Plus Points :
- Balakrishna has given a power packed performance as Godse. For this role, he looks quite restrained and his mannerisms have been toned down. In the role of Bose, the original Balakrishna comes out. There are powerful punch dialogues and loud action scenes. Balakrishna has portrayed both roles with conviction. His dance for the Lion title song is very good.
- The Interval bang is excellent. It lifts the film to another level and infuses a lot of interest into the proceedings. The director has handled these sequences very well. Apart from this, the second half of the film has some good high voltage drama and Balakrishna's hardcore fans will enjoy these scenes.
- Prakash Raj has done a good job and his confrontation scenes with Balakrishna have come out very well. Trisha and Radhika Apte look good but they have very marginal roles. Posani, Jayasudha, Chandra Mohan, Geetha, Jayachander and the other actors have pitched in with decent performances.
- Action sequences have been shot well. The tribal fight in the forest is quite unique and looks fresh. Scenes involving the CM's convoy have been handled well.
Minus Points :
- The first half of the film is a big liability. Until the pre-interval episode begins, the film can get boring. The movie keeps shifting to flashback mode very randomly and poor editing makes this a jarring experience.
- Direction is a big minus. The story has good potential and a competent mass director would have worked wonders with a script like this. There are glaring errors and proper leads have not been established for crucial scenes.
- There are some unexplained gaps and loopholes in the film. For A center crowds, these errors will be glaringly apparent. For B and C center crowds, this screenplay may prove to be slightly irritating.
- Romantic scenes between Balakrishna and Trisha have not been handled well. They look very forced. Radhika Apte has virtually nothing to do in the film, except to join Balakrishna for two songs.
Technical Aspects :
Cinematography is good. The fight sequences have been captured well. Editing is quite poor in the first half of the film. For a screenplay like this to work, good editing is absolutely essential. Mani Sharma breathes life into the scenes with his terrific background score. He is still the boss when it comes to re-recording.
Satya Deva makes a very average impression as a director. He has conceived a good story but his execution is less than satisfactory. A good director must know how to present his hero in the best possible way. In recent times, only Boyapati succeeded in projecting Balakrishna in the right way.
Verdict :
'Lion' is a mass entertainer that will keep fans happy. This is a different attempt from Balakrishna and his efforts are commendable. A superb interval block and high voltage scenes in the second half are assets. However, a poor first half drags the film down. For the average movie lover, this film will seem like an ok watch.
Critic's Rating - 3/5
BOX OFFICE POTENTIAL : Medium
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