Ambajipeta Marriage Band: A missed opportunity

 

Movie: Ambajipeta Marriage Band
Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Suhas, Shivani Nagaram, Sharanya, Goparaju Ramana, and others
Director:  Dushyanth  Katikaneni
Produced By: Dheeraj Mogilineni, Bunny Vas

Release Date: 2nd February 2024

Story:

Set in the village Ambajipeta in 2007, the film shows the life of Malli (Suhas), the son of a barber. He helps his father in his profession but also dreams of being a drummer and working in a Marriage Band. Malli's Sister Padma (Saranya) is a school teacher and an honest person who does not want to lose her respect at any cost. Venkat ( Nithin Prasanna), the upper caste landlord in the village, gives money on loans to the people, and he always keeps most of them under his fear. He does not like lower caste people and treats them as untouchables. Venkat's sister Lakshmi ( Shivani Nagaram) falls in love with Malli, and their love affair leads to a big fight between Venkat, Malli, and Padma. What did Venkat do to stop Malli from loving his sister? Will Malli and Padma be able to fight and win against Venkat? Answers to these questions can be known only after watching the film.

Performances:

Suhas was impressive, and his performance was commendable in a few emotional scenes. Shivani's role and performance was also good. Nitin Prasanna, who played the villain, did justice to his role. Pushpa fame Jagdish got a good role, and he was also good. Last but not least, Saranya Pradeep was terrific as Padma, and this character would be remembered for the actress. Goparaju Ramana, Gayatri Bhargavi, and others were fine.

What Worked for the film:

The film's first half was nicely made and hardly had any dull moments. The love track was good and provided the required entertainment. The Pre Interval to Interval episode and the police station scene in the second half work well for the film. The director wrote the climax differently from the routine revenge-seeking fight. As said above, all the performances were natural and helped the director's intention; the music was also good.

What did not work for the film:

What seemed to be an honest take in the first half was an unclear outing. Though the second half starts on a good note, soon the narrative gets out of the flow. The Dharna episode could have been handled better. The fightback of Malli and Padma was less powerful than it was. The tragic twist in the second half did not add emotion to the proceedings, and the climax appeared rushed, though the intended message was good.

Ambajipeta Marriage Band Movie Review and Verdict:

Ambajipeta Marriage Band is a well-intended rural drama that tries to show social injustice. At the same time, a few powerful episodes, natural performances, and well-in-sync music work well for the film; the weak and dull narrative in the second half works as a hindrance. The film might be an okay watch if you consider the plus points.