Release Date : September 28, 2023
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring: Ram Pothineni, Sreeleela, Saiee Manjrekar, Prince Cecil, Gautami, Indraja, Raja, Srikanth, Sharath Lohitashwa, Prithviraj, and others
Director: Boyapati Sreenu
Producer: Srinivasaa Chitturi
Music Director: S Thaman
Cinematographer: Santosh Detake
Editor: Bikkina Thammiraju
Related Links : Trailer
Skanda marks the first collaboration of Energetic Star Ram Pothineni and mass director Boyapati Sreenu. The movie generated significant buzz before it finally opened in cinemas today. Check out our review to know how the movie is.
Story:
Telangana CM Ranjith Reddy’s (Sharath Lohitashwa) son elopes with Andhra Pradesh CM Rayudu’s (Ajay Purkar) daughter. Enraged, Rayudu wants to seek revenge, but the entry of Bhaskar Raju (Ram Pothineni) changes the entire scenario. Who is Bhaskar Raju? What is his motto? Why did he target both the CMs? How is Rudraganti Ramakrishna Raju (Srikanth) related to Raju? The movie has all the answers.
Plus Points:
Ram Pothineni’s impressive transformation for this film is noteworthy. His beast mode, especially when he takes down the enemies in action sequences, is extraordinary. Besides his mass appearance, his wonderful dialogue delivery adds more weight to the scenes.
Sreeleela is less impressive as a heroine, but she showcases her capabilities, engaging audiences with her stellar beauty and dance moves.
Srikanth gets a fine role, and though his screen presence is less, the entire show revolves around him. Daggubati Raju also plays a fine role.
Thaman deserves appreciation for his outstanding score, which enhances many scenes.
Minus Points:
‘Forget the logic to enjoy the magic,’ is the quote that perfectly applies to Boyapati Sreenu’s recent movies, especially the fight scenes in this movie. Skanda is not an exception in this aspect. Although the fights are enjoyable and provide an adrenaline rush to the audience, there may be moments when they question, ‘how is this even possible?’
The story mostly offers nothing new, which is an aspect Boyapati Sreenu should concentrate on more. The movie starts off engagingly but soon loses its momentum, maintaining a slow pace in the second half.
Apart from crafting mass dialogues that give goosebumps to audiences and directing mass fights that make fans whistle, he needs to focus more on the plot, which should be engaging.
The songs and their placement are not quite right. Except for a couple of songs, the rest are forgettable.
The film introduces too many characters, such as Indraja, Gautami, and others, who don’t have much to contribute to the plot. The director should have given them more scope, at least to deliver some dialogues.
The emotional part in the second half is decent but not outstanding. It could have been improved. Some of the dialogues target political parties, but these might resonate more with mass audiences, especially in B and C centers.
Technical Aspects:
Boyapati Sreenu returns with a mass entertainer that leans more towards action than emotion. M Ratnam’s dialogues are acceptable and deliver goosebumps at times.
Thaman’s background score, especially in the first half, is energetic and enhances many scenes. Santosh Detake’s cinematography is top-notch, especially in the fight sequences.
Editing is fine, but many unnecessary scenes in the second half could have been trimmed for better pacing. The production values are commendable.
Verdict:
On the whole, Skanda is a mass action entertainer that offers a solid performance by Ram Pothineni, energetic action scenes and dances worth watching. While fans and the masses will enjoy this high-voltage entertainer, the film’s simple story, illogical action sequences, and a sluggish second half might not appeal to others. If you are fine with these aspects, you may give this movie a watch this weekend.
123telugu.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team