 "Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 movie review: Pawan Kalyan starrer tries to become Baahubali & RRR but turns out to be an epic blunder")
Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Sachin Khedekar, Dalip Tahil, Nasser, Sunil, and Sathyaraj
Director: Krish Jagarlamudi & A. M. Jyothi Krishna
Language: Telugu
After facing multiple delays, Pawan Kalyan starrer Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 has finally hit the screens today. While fans are expecting to cheer out loud for the Power Star as he is coming on the big screen after 2 years, let’s see whether it turns out to be an entertaining treat or not.
The plot begins in Kollur Mines in 1650, where a teenager finds a few pieces of raw diamonds while working. However, all the people there chase after him to claim them, as the King will reward them in exchange. He gets beaten, and finally, one of the workers manages to get the diamonds.
While he is frustrated, his uncle narrates to him the story of how a child got saved in the flood and was taken care of by Guru of the temple (Sathyaraj) and his family. Cut to 1659, where Aurangzeb (Bobby Deol) attacks his elder brother Dara Shikoh and kills him to become the emperor and later imprisons his father Shah Jahan.
The story now jumps to the present day in Machilipatnam, which is 1684, where a British high-ranking officer and his troop are protecting those diamond pieces. Only to be later stolen by Hari Hara Veera Mallu (Pawan Kalyan).
Later, Qutub Shah (Dalip Tahil) hires Veera Mallu to regain the Kohinoor diamond, which belongs to his Golconda and is now at the Delhi fort on Aurangzeb’s throne. Will he be able to complete the task?
Well, the film has sub-plots and sub-texts exploring Veera Mallu’s hidden motives, but it is a half-baked and dragged screenplay, which has marred the movie.
A. M. Jyothi Krishna, who has probably directed the first part, goes all out to make the movie a massy action spectacle, only to deliver an underwhelming affair due to its poor execution. Apart from being long and exhausting, the mediocre VFX also hampers the narrative, which makes you disappointed as a cinephile.
Talking about the performances, Pawan Kalyan has once again delivered an impactful performance thanks to his magnetic onscreen presence and aura, but the movie failed to justify his star power. Nidhhi Agerwal has limited screen presence, but she thus leaves a mark. Post _Animal_ , Bobby Deol has been doing a lot of south-Indian films, but unfortunately, none of them got him a meaty character. After Kanguva and Daaku Maharaaj, this is the third consecutive movie which wasted his talent and character. Nasser, Sachin Khedekar, Sunil, Dalip Tahil and others played their characters well.
In the climax, the makers tried to pull off an epic cliff-hanger for the 2nd part, but let’s see where it goes.
Rating: 2 (out of 5 stars)
Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 is playing in cinemas
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