Sankranthiki Vasthunnam (Telugu)
Like all of Anil Ravipudi’s previous films, Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, starring Venkatesh, Aishwarya Rajesh, Meenakshi Chaudhary, and others is a silly film. The director is aware of the goofy story and its eccentric characters. The film never takes itself seriously, which is the best thing about it, but when it turns preachy, it becomes insufferable.
This is not a film for critics or anyone who takes cinema seriously or looks for logic. It is made for the ‘family audience’ who enjoy homophobic jokes, vulgar gestures, beeped-out cuss words, misogynistic humour, and everything crass masquerading as comedy.
Sankranthiki Vasthunnam is the story of suspended police officer YD Raju (Venkatesh). Raju quits the force after being convicted of carrying out extrajudicial killings. Years later, he is tasked with leading a rescue operation. This premise is an obvious callback to Venkatesh’s Gharshana.
Just when the narrative appears to be getting serious, Ravipudi quickly shifts gears, turning it into a comedy. The film ensures laughter when Raju and his motley crew become part of the covert operation.
The eccentric characters include George Anthony (Upendra Limaye), Manikya Rao (Sai Kumar), Bulli Raju (Revanth), and Keshava (Naresh). These characters shine in some of the comedic set pieces. The absurdity of using the line “repati kosam” from Kalki 2898 AD received thunderous applause from the audience.
The film works mainly because of Venkatesh, who doesn’t take himself seriously and embraces self-deprecating jokes. Venkatesh nails the portrayal of YD Raju, a man caught between his possessive wife and ex-girlfriend. Aishwarya Rajesh (Bhagyam) delivers a fine performance as the ignorant but extremely possessive wife. Her dialogue delivery is commendable. Meenakshi Chaudhary (Meenakshi) is adequate in her role.
While the humour in the first half of the film feels forced, the rescue operation sequences in the second half are hilarious when, occasionally, Ravipudi refrains from crass humor, vulgar gestures, or cuss words. Strong language itself isn’t an issue, but why normalise it, especially in a film meant for a ‘family audience’?
The situation of Venkatesh’s character, caught between his wife and ex-girlfriend, serves as an excuse for Ravipudi to unleash his misogyny. And he doesn’t hold back. Some of the jokes feel like clichéd WhatsApp forwards about husbands and wives. Ravipudi’s films consistently portray women as cunning, deceitful, or scheming. In this film, a woman falsely frames a man for sexual harassment, ruining his career.
If that wasn’t enough, Venkatesh’s character casually refers to teenagers as “Nibbas” and “Nibbis,” a sanitised replacement for a racial slur. Such language, even in jest, is inexcusable.
For as long as Sankranthiki Vasthunnam was self-aware about its silliness, it was fine, but when Ravipudi tries to pay homage to teachers and forcefully fit in a ‘message’, the film becomes muddled.
The film also suffers from poor production, with artificial-looking sets. But none of that matters if you enjoy Ravipudi’s brand of humour. If you can overlook crass jokes, Sankranthiki Vasthunnam might be worth a watch.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the producers or any other members of its cast and crew.