Shailaja Reddy Alludu
Director: Maruthi Dasari
Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Ramya Krishnan, Anu Emmanuel
Rating: 2.5/5
How to portray women in films – that seems to be an eternal dilemma with filmmakers these days. Should they be confident women of today who know their mind? Or, should they be demure to the point of being damsels in distress? Will empowered be seen as overconfident?
Director Maruthi Dasari has decided to mix it all up in Shailaja Reddy Alludu. In Anu (Anu Emmanuel), we see a confident girl with a humongous ego. She loves unconditionally, but she makes sure that the people who are close to her are worth her affection and attention. This, however, comes off as cold hearted, and her self-respect is often mistaken as her ego.
Chaitu (Naga Chaitanya), on the other hand, is a simple man who falls in love with Anu almost instantly. She is in love with him too, but before the two confess their feelings, ego plays spoilsport. Their love carries them through and there are enough laughs in the first half to keep you interested in the film.
However, just when Anu and Chaitu are about to ride into the sunset, we meet Anu’s mother Shailaja (Ramya Krishnan). She is the reason why Anu is a confident young woman but she has one hang-up – her son-in-law has to be a doctor. Thus begin Chaitu’s attempts to convince his powerful mother-in-law, which are both hilarious and entertaining.
{{/usCountry}}However, just when Anu and Chaitu are about to ride into the sunset, we meet Anu’s mother Shailaja (Ramya Krishnan). She is the reason why Anu is a confident young woman but she has one hang-up – her son-in-law has to be a doctor. Thus begin Chaitu’s attempts to convince his powerful mother-in-law, which are both hilarious and entertaining.
{{/usCountry}}The fact that the film is about power play is evident from the first scene of the film where Chaitu’s family is meeting a prospective groom for his sister. While his father, as the father of the bride, is expected to be subservient to the boy’s side, he refuses to do so. He says he respects himself and his family and will not bow down his head because he is father of a girl. The film attempts to take the right tone from the beginning but is not successful every time.
A combination of action and comedy keep the film fast-paced. Shailaja Reddy Alludu is a commercial entertainer and the same old formula of a sincere son-in-law who helps his lady love’s family is presented well. However, don’t go expecting anything beyond the film says it is – a formulaic entertainer that never even attempts to be anything more.
Author tweets @Priyanka_S_MCC
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