Jathi Ratnalu movie review: Naveen Polishetty, Priyadarshi, Rahul Ramakrishna dazzle in an unapologetic madcap entertainer

Language: Telugu

Jathi Ratnalu, written and directed by Anudeep, is so self-aware of its characters and world that it leaves you with little choice but to laugh whole-heartedly. For a change, you do not mind it either because our focus is solely on the three main characters, played by Naveen Polishetty, Priyadarshi, and Rahul Ramakrishna, and they bring the roof down with their antics.

The story begins in Jogipet, a small town in Telangana, where Srikanth (Polishetty) works at his family-run store, a bangles emporium. He is so vexed up with his life in Jogipet that he wants to go to Hyderabad in order to lead a better life, which will earn him a lot of respect. His best friends Sekhar (Priyadarshi) and Ravi (Ramakrishna) join him in this journey. The story takes plenty of twists and turns after they come to Hyderabad, where Srikanth meets Chitti (Faria Abdullah), and what happens when they find themselves embroiled in a big crime.

There is so much chaos throughout the film that it does not leave you with enough time to think. The writing is packed with hilarious one-liners, and there is something interesting happening in almost every scene. The film knows exactly what it is doing, and just keeps surprising you scene after scene because you never know how the three lead characters are going to handle the situation. Each one of them is unique. Ravi suffers from critical love failure repeatedly; Sekhar is more worried about rice and curries; Srikanth is the leader of the gang who keeps fumbling all the time. Anudeep uses their traits so judiciously even in the more serious moments that you cannot help but be amused when you least expect it.

More from Entertainment

'Jugnuma' Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee, Deepak Dobriyal, Tillotama Shome’s terrific performances stood out in this beautifully restrained way of storytelling ‘Real fight’ is between Karisma Kapoor and Priya Sachdev: Sunjay Kapur's mother's lawyer says in HC: 'Rani Kapur does get impacted by it but...'

Yet, there are times when the single-minded focus to entertain feels like a burden, and the middle portions feel like a stretch. There is never a dull moment when the focus is on the three lead actors, but the narrative is all over the place. Amidst all this chaos in the story, there is an emotional subplot too, but is hardly in sync with the rest of the proceedings. A major drawback of the film is how it treats Murali Sharma’s characterisation, and leaves you with a feeling that his role was written without clarity.

Anudeep strikes a fine balance between how he portrays the lead characters and how their lack of intelligence gets them out of trouble in most cases. The rest of the characters in the story are convinced that Srikanth, Sekhar, and Ravi are too naive to be taken seriously, and Anudeep maintains this aspect throughout the narrative. Truth be told, the only thing you are likely to remember after watching the film is Polishetty’s impeccable comic timing, along with that of Priyadarshi and Ramakrishna. The trio are rip-roaringly hilarious throughout, and they make the film work. Polishetty, in particular, is a delight to watch as he captures your attention to an extent that nothing else matters, even when the film is not engaging enough. Newcomer Abdullah does a fine job as an innocent girl who falls in love with Naveen.

It is not everyday you get films like Jathi Ratnalu, which rise above and are beyond what you expect from a film. Here, the plot is just an excuse because the real charm lies in the lead characters and how they manage to wriggle out of a situation. You will most probably forget what they did to save themselves from adverse situations. But you will remember that you laughed out loud, sometimes for no reason. This is what the film manages to do, and does it well enough to forget its shortcomings. It is an unapologetic madcap entertainer, and does not hold itself back until the final moment.

Rating: ***