Review : Martin Luther King – Okay concept, dull narration

Sampoornesh Babu starrer Martin Luther King, the official remake of the critically acclaimed Tamil movie, Mandela, hit screens today. Let’s see how the movie is.

Story:

In the village of Padamarapadu, two brothers, Jagjivan Ram (Naresh) and Lokmanya Tilak (Venkatesh Maha), yearn to become the village President. Their electoral contest takes an unusual twist as they categorize voters by caste, resulting in a tie. The decisive vote rests with Smile (Sampoornesh Babu), a modest cobbler. The story unfolds as we witness the brothers’ endeavors to win Smile’s vote, his transformation into Martin Luther King, and the suspenseful revelation of his choice.

Plus Points:

In terms of the story, Martin Luther King boasts a nice premise and is complemented by a commendable performance from Sampoornesh Babu, who fits the role of an innocent cobbler perfectly. This is arguably the actor’s finest performance to date.

Sharanya Pradeep’s role as Vasantha, although minimal, has a significant impact on the film. Naresh and Venkatesh Maha also deliver their best to make the film watchable.

The remaining cast members also provide decent performances. Also, the climax part is interesting to watch and is nicely elevated by the score.

The director deserves appreciation for shedding light on the persistence of casteism in villages and the mistreatment of lower-caste individuals, which is still prevalent in many remote villages in India today.

Minus Points:

The plot, while neat and somewhat thought-provoking, falls short due to a pale narration. Venkatesh Maha could have crafted a more gripping screenplay, especially in the first half.

Although Naresh and Venkatesh Maha have important roles, debut director Puja Aparna Kolluru should have written stronger character arcs to make the characters more impactful in the story.

The comedy scattered here and there is okay, but injecting more comedy scenes into this political comedy-drama could’ve made it a pleasing experience.

Director Puja could have included one or two interesting scenes to stress the value of the vote and the importance of equality. Additionally, Venkatesh Maha could have enriched this political comedy by incorporating a few hard-hitting dialogues to provoke thought among viewers.

Many characters in the film are less familiar to the audiences, making it challenging for them to connect with. Several scenes in the first half feel drawn out, and there is a sense of repetitiveness in the second half.

Technical Aspects:

Debutant director Puja Aparna Kolluru does a neat job in running the show, but an improved screenplay in the first half could have yielded a different result.

The songs and score by Smaran Sai are satisfactory. Cinematography by Deepak Yaragera meets expectations, while the editing by director Puja Kolluru is acceptable, though there’s room for improvement in the first half. Trimming unnecessary scenes for a crisp runtime would have helped a lot. Production values are adequate.

Verdict:

On the whole, Martin Luther King introduces a nice concept but is hampered by a sluggish screenplay, resulting in a below-par cinematic experience. Sampoornesh Babu delivers a decent performance that suits the film’s requirements, and other cast members, such as Sharanya, Naresh, and Venkatesh Maha, offer satisfactory performances. The film is marred by unnecessary pacing issues and a few repetitions in the second half. If you’re looking for a movie to watch this weekend, it’s advisable to consider other film options for your entertainment.

 

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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