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Julayi is a typical Trivikram film. It has a stylish star – cleverer than you can imagine, a not so clever heroine, and some terrific actors who support the protagonist. Of course the influences of few popular Hollywood films can also be seen in individual scenes, but will all are these factors count for a commercial success of the film?

What’s it about:

Julayi is about a worldly wise Ravindra Narayan (Allu Arjun who crosses paths with a stylish bank robber Bittu (Sonu Sood ) on the way to a bank robbery. Ravi freely spreads his gyan about what goes on in Vizag’s betting regions to the robber. And the robber conveniently uses this info, infact Ravi’s exact words, to send the police to these pubs to ensure that his robbery goes undisturbed. While Bittu is almost successful in stealing the bank, an intelligent Ravi, convinces the police who arrest him while indulging in betting about the thieves plans. What starts as a series of coincidences, ends up being a failed robbery, lost money, and the villain being stopped at every step by Ravi! Obviously the villain seeks revenge. How Ravi proactively pursues Bittu, with some reluctant support from a good hearted police officer (Rajendra Prasad) becomes the rest of the story.

What’s Good:

Ever since Vedam, Allu Arjun is a different actor. There is lot more intensity in his act, and an increased ease in the way he presents himself on the screen. Apart from his usually terrific dances, what is good to see his how he employs subtlety in some scenes. Sonu Sood has improved as an actor, far from being a loud villain to a subtle negative character who sometimes gets smiles out of nothing.

It is very clichéd to say that actors like Thanikella Bharani and Kota Srinivasa Rao are terrific, even in their tiny but very meaningful roles. They add a lot more depth, positively and negatively to the film – respectively! While I cannot but remain from mentioning a scene in which Bharani, as a father of the hero, teaches him an important tenet in life, the entire credit for this scene goes to the director – but more about the director later.

Brahmanandam, as a consistently failing thief creates a laugh riot with Ali in a scene where there is not a dialogue exchanged! Rao Ramesh, Hema, M.S.Narayana and Brahmaji are good too, but the other actor who is very easily noticed is Rajendra Prasad. His character easily changes colors – from being the external conversation of protagonist’s inner conflict to a comedian to a character artist to a police officer who doesn’t like to use a gun!

With so many character artists and lots going on Ileana’s character becomes only as a breather in between the hero and villain’s plans. She is good, but she better watch out, the number of jokes on her looking too thin and frail might increase in the upcoming movies!

What’s Bad:

While we all know that this is a Telugu film in which the hero’s character is incredibly good, the protagonist of Julayi is a bit too clever for the audiences to take. His presence of mind can be beaten only by a god; he fights like Neo of the Matrix and the fact that he is more of an ordinary middle class boy beats any explanation on how his mind is ‘criminally’ sharp! Director makes a mess of the robbery scene, inspired from the The Dark Knight, and those who have seen The Italian Job will cringe during the climax truck-helicopter chase scenes. That said the first half of Julayi flows like a breeze, with lots of laughs. But, the second half lacks the pace and the consistency of the first half, as the director – for commercial reasons, is forced to dabble between serious and some funny boy chasing girl sequences.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the movie loses out on its entertainment with some well shot songs and more funny scenes making it upto us.

Technical Department:

It is extremely good to see how Trivikram manages to get us to indulge in laughs as he continues to pun Telugu, and make more fun out of ordinary situations in life. Inspite of the demands of a commercial movie, this time he has ensured that he keeps the theme of the film flowing by getting a father to tell his son that there is only a thin difference between the protagonist and villain, and that protagonist has to make his choices to remain on the right side. This touch, with a little bit of reality and philosophy imbibed in it – is not only important for any movie, it also adds more sense to a commercial entertainer like Julayi. As usual, Trivikram’s conversations are the soul of the film.

Cinematographer Chota K.Naidu, keeps his camera work a bit more real, forgoing his usual – low angles for the Telugu protagonists! The digital intermediate work too is top notch, which makes the entire film very colorful. Art work, especially in songs of the second half, is very noticeable, and the way the usual shooting spots of Telugu cinema are colorfully lit in the first song is worth a mention.

The movie could have been crisper, but Prawin Pudi does show glimpses of brilliance in the way he cuts few sequences. Devisri Prasad’s music, both songs and in the background, manage the flow of the film smoothly. But what isn’t smooth is the stunts and the graphics work around these stunts – fights are too surreal and the graphics too ‘visible’!

Final Point:

Julayi is a thorough entertainer with some glitches in the overall run. What’s definitely guaranteed is lots of positive smiles, if not laughs.

123telugu.com Rating : 3.25/5

Reviewed by Esskay

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