Yuddham Sharanam (2017): Naga Chaitanya is choosing some very interesting films in the past few years. This time around, he has given a break to his friend Krishna who directs his new film Yuddham Sharanam which has hit the screens today.All the promos and trailers failed to create any impact as it looked like Saahasam Swaasaga Saagipo 2.So,I went to movie with low expectations.So how is it? Plot: The story revolves around Arjun (Naga Chaitanya), who's in search of his parents. The have gone missing after their 30th wedding anniversary and Arjun can't trace their whereabouts even after searching every nook and corner of the city. Meanwhile, a special team from NIA is trying to find the culprits behind a series of bomb blasts. The rest of the story is about how Arjun learns the truth about his parents and what happens to them in their last few days.
My Review: To be frank,Yuddham Sharanam is a surprise for me as the film turns out to be a decent thriller with top-notch cinematography.The movie has simple and old plot without any surprises but still it engages us because of the connection we feel among hero and his family.
The non-linear screenplay of the film keeps us guessing about what could have possibly gone wrong with Arjun's seemingly perfect life. We are told that he has quit his job to make drones and in one particularly well-choreographed action sequence, where he rescues a woman's life, we understand that he's adept at his job.His mother (Revathi) is a doctor, and his father (Rao Ramesh) is a pillar of strength in his life. And when Arjun falls in love with a medical intern (Lavanya Tripathi), you know that the family's portrait will be picture perfect. Cut to present : Arjun is shattered when he learns the whereabouts of his parents. It's a classic case of what happens when a normal guy is pushed to the brink by circumstances. He flips out.
The major pro of the movie is its first half which has equal shares of family and suspense.All the family scenes in first half are brilliantly made with amazing performances.All the scenes are well written as we get related to the family and we eagerly wait to know what could have been possibly gone wrong to this beautiful family.
For a film that pretty much nails its family drama and romance, it's a pity that the revenge angle turns out to be quite bland.Second half impresses only with its brilliant cinematography but no thrills and turns.The biggest issue with 'Yuddham Sharanam' is that it doesn't give the chance to the audience to discover anything.As we expect a twist at all the interesting premise,it turns out to be so simple which could disappoint those who went with huge expectations.
Naga Chaitanya finds himself in a familiar turf and his characterisation in Yuddham Sharanam has quite a few similarities with those in Gautham Menon's Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo.Srikanth looks terrific as a menacing villain, but his characterization and dialogues are so clichéd that the makeover loses its prominence. Rao ramesh and Revathy are amazing as parents.
To give credit where credit is due, the film has introduced a promising cinematographer Niketh Bommireddy to Telugu film industry. His sense of lighting and the realistic tone to the visuals makes you stand upright and take notice of his immense talent, and I can't wait to see what he does next.He successfully brought a feel of watching a dark thriller which is quite rare in Tollywood.
So,Yuddham Sharanam is a simple thriller which looks effective by its top-notch cinematography.Go with low-expectations.
My Rating 6.5/10
