These days, releasing a film seems to be a harder task than filming it. Here is one such film, Andhra Mess, which had its trailer release four years ago, in 2014. The film has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, and here is our review of the film.
Andhra Mess is all about four small-time goons, who are compared to ants, surviving against a big gangster, who is compared to an elephant. The four goons loot money from the gangster and escape with that money to a secretive place. Whether the gang leader is able to trace these people and retrieves the money or not, is what forms the crux of the film.
Though it seems to be an intense plot, the film’s genre (black comedy) and its treatment make it a very light-hearted one. The dark treatment in the screenplay is praiseworthy and the director, Jai, shows a tinge of promise. The references to Salil Chowdhury’s music and other miniscule detailings with the visuals are worth acknowledgment. The dialogues about life are so meaningfully written, and it adds value to the film. The paperwork put up by the writing department is evident, and the audience could sense a genuine effort.
The problem with Andhra Mess is that it takes quite a lot of time to settle, and establish its characters. The slow pace of the film, in spite of its short runtime, might be an issue for a section of the audience. Important questions in the film are answered in a very silly manner and that seems unconvincing. There is a lack of excitement in the film. Andhra Mess falls into the template of the black comedy and it fails to create anything fresh.
Though a few scenes lighten the mood, Andhra Mess falls short of being a completely engaging black comedy film. The intended quirkiness does not work in the favour of the movie. The characters in the film lack depth and detailing, except for the heroine, Thejaswini, whose role is sketched well, on the lines of Aaranya Kaandam’s Subbu.
There is no particular hero in the film, and it is the important characters, who drive the film forward. Experienced artist AP Shreethar has tried his hand at acting, and he has indeed given a neat performance. Thejaswini shines by bringing life to her character. With stronger roles, she could be a promising actor in Tamil cinema. Raj Bharath finds a good grip over his character. An intense performer like Pooja Devariya is wasted with a very flat role.
The visuals of the film stand as a major backbone. Also, it serves the purpose of the genre. Prashanth Pillai’s background score doesn’t complement the film completely. Prabhakar’s editing is apt, spicing up the quirkiness.
As told earlier, Jai shows good promise with his screenplay writing skills. However, he doesn’t convincingly execute the same with his directorial skills.