Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

`Asthram' misses target

Film: Asthram (Telugu)

Cast: Vishnuvardhan Babu Manchu, Anushka, Jackie Shroff

Director: Suresh Krishna

Though Vishnu is a good artiste and a dancer too, he has ended up making the wrong choices in selecting good subjects. His latest film `Asthram' once again reflects his poor choice and is a routine action flick, which has similarities to `Sarfarosh', the Bollywood blockbuster. Suresh Krishna failes to maintain the tempo much to the disappointment of audiences. KV (Jackie Shroff) is a famous classical singer. Though masquerades, as a Hindu sporting vibhuti on his forehead and Rudrakshas around his neck, his real name is Khader Vali. Based at Rameswaram, he smuggles firearms and explosives and keeps inciting violence with the help of his henchmen. fficers headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Siddhartha (Vishnu) are assigned the task of checking smuggling of firearms and explosives. Siddhu is a big fan of KV's music. Anu (Anushka) is his classmate and is in love with him. Siddhu's father (Saratbabu) once tries to complain to the police that he had noticed someone inciting communal violence. The miscreants attack him while he is pillion-riding the bike of Siddhu's brother. In the process, Siddhu's brother gets killed and father seriously injured.

To sets things right, Siddhu becomes an IPS officer, though not with the sole motive of taking revenge but to save the country from the clutches of trouble-mongers. During investigation, Siddhu realises that the mastermind behind the arms smuggling and communal disturbances is KV. How he tackles them forms rest of the film.

Jackie does justice

Vishnu does well as a tough police officer. Jackie Shroff, acting in a Telugu film the first time, does justice to his role. Rahul Dev plays a positive character in the film, while Anushka adds glamour. Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao plays a negative role. Raghubabu provides comic relief. The songs and music and S.A. Rajkumar is disappointing.

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