Andhra Pradesh   

The message goes missing

Pothe Ponee (Telugu)

Cast: Siva Balaji, Sindhu Tolani, Rajesh, Dhanush

Story, Screenplay and Direction: Bharadwaja

The film focuses on the problem of violence in society, naxalism and the killing of policemen, outlaws and innocents.

How far these killings are justified? Is it proper to kill one another for the sake of ideology? Director Bharadwaja poses the same question and tries to give a solution but somehow loses track in sending across the message. However, he does not give a reasonable conclusion and says it is for the people to teach a lesson to the politicians and the naxalites.

Siddhartha (Siva Balaji) is a nice and helpful guy who has lots of concern towards society. Siddhartha is so broadminded that he just would not leave anyone whom he feels that the latter needs his assistance.

In the same process he takes care of some people whose kin are killed in encounters and those whose kin are killed by naxalites. He also gives shelter to orphans.

Shanti (Sindhu Tolani) is the girl in his neighbourhood and both of them grow up together and are good friends.

When their parents think of getting them married, Shanti and Siddhu refuse saying that they are just good friends. Shanti is of the opinion that one has to take care of himself / herself and their families instead of helping the society at large.

One day Siddhu stops to help a boy who meets with an accident, but Shanti is in a hurry to go to office. An angry Siddhu asks her whether she would do the same if he had been in the boy's place. This irks Shanti.

Love blossoms

He tries to console her and in a fit of emotion she hugs him. Siddhu then tells her that he actually loves her. But Shanti says she has no such feelings for him.

She goes to her paternal uncle's house where she realises that she too is actually in love with Siddhu and calls him up to express her love.

When Siddhu comes to the bus stand to receive her, he accidentally gets killed in a naxal shootout right in front of Shanti.

A disturbed Shanti then decides to wage a war against terrorism and killing of innocents. Whether she is able to do so forms part of the climax.

Siva Balaji is okay while Sindhu Tolani does a good job with lots of scope to perform.

Her body language, histrionics during the songs and other scenes are very good and she was able to perform with good facial expressions.

In a hurry?

Though the story is good, the director concentrates more on the romance between the lead pair instead of the intended message. The climax gives one the feeling that the director was in a hurry to wind it up.

Music by Mickey J Meyer is adequate and the background score by R.P. Patnaik is decent.

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