Ragada Review

Commercial masala flicks have somewhat of an "easy-to-do" tag to it. A macho looking hero, a sassy leading lady, a villain everyone hates, a comedian that gets beaten, 5 songs, one of which is an item number, 4 fights, a twist and then the "The End" card. Yes, Ragada is of the same genre but I'd like to think that there is more to any cinema than that. And this is the same. Veeru Potla saw success with Bindaas, Nagarjuna needs one since Kedi didn't fare too well, Anushka and Priyamani are finding success in other states but still need to hold their spot in TFI. Add in some tap worthy tunes by Thaman.S and the chemical reaction is sure to create Ragada!

Ragada begins in true mass form with an intro in the form of a fight sequence. A fight that is between GK [Dev Gill] and Bagawanth [Satya Prakash]. Enter Satya. Hailing from Kadapa, he's street smart and fierce but that smile of his is just as deceiving as it is casual. Having intercepted and saved him in the brawl between the two rivalling gangs who work for one man, Peddanna [Pradeep Rawat], GK takes him under his wing but is more in awe of him than others. While things seem to go according to plan for GK with Satya aka Kadapodu around, problems arise in the form of not one but 2 women. First is Sirisha [Anushka]. Classy and intelligent, she is to marry GK but clearly has no intention as she flirts with Satya nonchalantly in front of Brahmam [Brahmanandam], an ex-con wannabe Don and also uncle to GK. The other is Ashtalakshmi who stumbles into Satya while being chased by goons. From here the movie will take you on a double-horsed ride as Satya falls for Ashtalakshmi and flirts with Sirisha while on the other side, the small friction caused by Satya for Peddanna becomes an all out war as Satya targets his men and last goes for him. The reasoning for all this? Is it really Satya's greed for money? All is not as it seems and the only way to find out is by watching the film.

I know I usually start with the male leads in the film but given my newly renewed admiration for Priyamani and existing one for Anushka, I think I'll start with the ladies this time. First one you will see is Charmy. No she isn't a heroine; she is the item girl in this. Haven't seen her in a while and she is back with a total glam look as she busts a move with Nagarjuna in his intro track. Welcome back, Charmy. Next is Anushka. Fashionable, sexy and cool yet has nothing much to do. I must say her pairing with Nag isn't new but not boring either. Boring would be here acting or lack of. She is capable of so much more and yet, the maximum emotion you will see on her face is during the songs. Regardless, she looks stunning. Priyamani is pretty much in the same boat as her but has more animated character, giving her a better chance to be remembered character-wise. Special note to Priya. Please, oh please, fire your stylist/costume designer. Clearly maximum exposure was the only thing on their agenda and it would have been ok if not for the fact in some circumstances, it makes the viewer uncomfortable [N.B. I wasn't the only one]. Now to the main man. Nagarjuna is the kind of actor that can pull off any character. His charm and personality on and off screen makes him lovable to all ages. As Satya/Kadapodu, he is an out-and-out rustic ruffian and plays it with ease. A special mention must be made for the accent. Brahmi darling, you are the shizzle! One thing about Brahmi sir I love is that no matter who the hero is, he can form chemistry with them so easily. And when it comes to Nagarjuna, there is no need for explanation, just watch the magic. However, both Dharmavarapu Srinivas and Master Bharath put up some stiff competition in the comedy department. Watch their on stage sequence as Dharma speaks in English and Bharath in Telugu. 

Although Pradeep Rawat is the main "baddie" in the film, he is hardly unique in characterisation and is annoyingly loud [dubbing artist needs a break or 10]. How one wishes we could see the silent, sophisticated and matured acting he displayed in Homam or even his comic side from Oy! Kota Srinivasa Rao and Supreet play typical goonda father and son, while Dev Gill was funnier than he was scary. This may have been unintentional but was amusing anyway. Tanikella Bharani was wasted in a tiny role but shines in the 5 minutes he is there. The rest of the cast is easily forgettable which is sad since Venniradai Nirmala and Latha are supposed to integral characters. 

On the technical front, Sarvesh Murari's camerawork deserves a special mention. Whether it’s Jordan, Greece, Bangkok or Begumpet, Sarvesh tackles it all with élan. He also has a special hand in making Nagarjuna look smashing given his age but kudos to the costume designer as well as he is dressed appropriately but remaining casual for the character. Action by Vijay is a treat for action lovers while the rerecording is apt barring a déjà vu feeling you get every now and then. Thaman has already shown that when it comes to upbeat folk songs, he is all over it. Ragada OST is no different however, not wanting to sound too brash and loud all the time, he slides in melodies like Sirisha that  gives the soundtrack a good balance. Besides Sirisha, Ashtalakshmi, Ragada Ragada and Suno Suno are sure to have you bouncing around.

However, Veeru hasn’t quite hit the bullseye on this one. Yes the movie is masala styled therefore no indepth story is expected but the biggest problem is that it gets predictable. The screenplay has twists and turns to keep you invoked but to a degree, we know certain things beforehand so when it drags, and it does on occasion, the audience’s patience gets tested. Also, as mentioned, the large number of villains in the film could have been a major asset. Instead due to poor characterisation, none of them come to mind at the end, barring Dev Gill but this may not be a good thing. Given that this is the same person that made Bindaas which I enjoyed watching and loved the twist at the end, it was disappointing that only the lead actors are in mind once the movie is over. Even then its more of a Nagarjuna movie since glamour is the main factor that is associated with the female leads when they could have scored majorly at least in the comedy sequences. 

So the final word: Leave your brain at home and watch it for what you see on the screen, Nagarjuna spinning his usual masala magic.

Rating: 2.5/5