Hanuman Movie Review - An ambitious and successful attempt

 

Movie: HANU MAN

Release Date: January 11, 2024

Rating: 3.5/5 

Cast: Teja Sajja, Amrita Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vinay Rai, Samudrakhani, Vennela Kishore, Getup Sreenu, and others 

Director: Prashanth Varma

Producers: K Niranjan Reddy

Story: Set in a fictional village called Anjanadri, the film tells us the story of Hanumanthu (Teja Sajja), a carefree young man living with his elder sister (Anjanamma)  who does not take his life seriously. He is a small-time thief and is in deep love with his childhood friend Meenakshi (Amrita Aiyer), a doctor. On one unexpected night, Hanumanthu's life goes into danger, but he is saved miraculously by the power of Lord Hanuman. Will Hanumanthu be able to handle the superpower and help the village with that? What does the superpower have in connection with Michael (Vinay Rai), a wannabe superhero? Answers to these questions can be known only by watching the film. 

What worked for Hanuman:

Director Prashanth Varma's efforts are visible in each movie frame. He envisioned a dream and was primarily successful in creating an impactful cinematic experience. All the scenes involving Lord Hanuman were handled with great care and effectiveness. He also dealt with the VFX very well without going overboard because of the genre or backdrop of the film. The Title sequence and the subsequent entertaining moments work well, and the pre-interval part of the movie has a tremendous effect, making us expect more from the second half. Even in the second half, Prashanth cleverly played the game between Hanumanthu and Micheal without making it look overstretched. The final half an hour was captured fantastically, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. 

What did not work for Hanuman:

The initial moments and romance in the first half look very ordinary. The same can be said with the latter half, where the initial portions look dull. Also, the establishment of Villain's character could have been done better. The Sister sentiment element in the movie holds a key length, and the director could have made it more effective in a meaningful sequence in the second half. 

Performances:

Teja Sajja was perfect, and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar was effective. Amrita Aiyer and Vinay Rai looked apt, while Samudrakhani was impressive in a crucial role. Getup Srinu and the late Rakesh Master spread a few laughs while Vennela Kishore was too good in a vital role.

Hanuman Review - Verdict:

The film HANU MAN works for most parts with technical excellence and many theatrical moments. The director's efforts and vision were remarkable, and though he faltered in handling a few parts of the movie, overall, he made an enjoyable outing.