Rating:3/5
Starring: Karthi,Pranitha,Mumtaj, Santhanam, Roja,Prakash raj,Radhika
Director: Shankar Dayal
Producer: Antony Xavier
Banner: Dream Warrior Pictures
Music: G V Prakash Kumar
Release Date:22-06-2012
Editing: A Sreekar Prasad
Art: Rajeevan
Banner: Dream Warrior Pictures (Original), Sri Sai Ganesh Movies (Telugu)
Cinematography: PG Muthaiah
CBFC rating: U/A
Actor Karthi and Pranitha plyaing lead roles in Sakuni movie. Directed by N.Shankar Dayal and Produced by Bellam Konda Suresh babu, Bellamkonda Ganesh Babu under the banner of Sri Sai Ganesh Productions Pvt Ltd. K.E Gnanevalraj presenting this movie. Music by GV Prakash Kumar. Santhanam, Raadhika Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj, Roja, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Mumtaj, Nassar, Kiran Rathod in other roles.
Story:
Kamal Krishna [Karthi] makes a cool entry who has just come down to Chennai city from his town Samarlakota, to seek the help of politicians in a bid to save his ancestral home that is scheduled for demolition to build a Railway track. Kamal faces many negotiations from the leaders, especially from Bhupathi [Prakash Raj], who is the corrupt and cruel Chief Minister.
Dejected Karthi decides to gain political powers, knowing that is the only way to save his property. In the mean time Kamal happens to meet Rajini [Santhanam], a local auto driver Rajini, who helps Kamal in achieving his objective. Meanwhile, Kamal also meets Sri Devi [Praneetha] along with his mother Aunty [Roja], who lives in Chennai.
Kamal starts implementing his ideas to gain political powers and in the process, he first meets Ramanakka [Radhika], a local money lender cum Don and turns her the Mayor of Chennai. How will Kamal manage to survive from the evil attacks of Prakash Raj? What ideas did he cherish to make Radhika and Nasser popular? Is Kamal able to save his property forms the Saguni story.
Perormances :
Karthi shows his versatility with this character as Kamal. He had put in decent efforts in dancing and fights. His attempt to dub his own voice is commendable. There are lots of shades of Shakuni to it and he tries to underact them all and evokes to juncture only when it’s needed. Santhanam’s comedy track is good. Radhika is pretty natural in the role.
Pranitha played the character of Sri Devi who is Kamal’s mardalu in the movie. She has very limited screen presence and is okay in them.
Prakash Raj as evil CM is perfect and the role is a cakewalk for him, Santhanam steals the show with his good comic timing, Radhika as Ramanakka is impressive, Anushka, Andrea have done cameos, Kota Srinivasa Rao and Nassar are at their usual best.
Techinical Departments:
Director Shankar Dayal is the black sheep. In the beginning of the film it appears like a Romantic Entertainer, but as the interval approaches this film turns out to be a Political Satire film. He did not take care to add enough ‘build up’ to the hero character which is very much needed in the political dramas.
Direction by Shanker Dayal is adequate. Screenplay is slow in the first half, but becomes very predictable in the second half. Cinematography by G. Muthaiah is wonderful. Dialogues by Sashank Vennelakanti are satisfactory. Editing by A. Sreekar Prasad is average. Production values are excellent. GV Prakash’s songs are good.All of them are well picturised. And the back ground score is a total let down.
Plus Points:
Karthi performance killer smile to great effect in the movie
The satires on the political system
Prakash Raj is good as the evil CM Bhupathi
Santhanam comedy entertaining and the pace is good
Anushka and Roja have small cameos and it is good to see
Radhika is pretty natural in the role
Minus Points:
Karthi and Pranitha's Romantic track has been handled poorly
Little boring in the first half
A stronger emotional motive would have helped.
Weak screenplay
Songs
Duration of the movie
Analysis:
Sakuni is a political drama and few of the episodes are targeted on the current happenings in politics which makes an interesting plot. But Shankar Dayal could not make it much exciting with quite slow paced narration. Though the first half had a good entertainment in parts, the narration is slow and the actual story begins only before 15 minutes of the interval with Radhika entrance.
Few of the scenes like the satires on the current political systems and the schemes the parties offer will gel well with the audiences. However, there are major loopholes in the script and director has taken too many liberties. Despite the appreciable story, the faltered screenplay and the confusing narration with an abrupt climax plays the spoilsport for Sakuni.
Karthi, Sanathanam, Radhika’s performances, the storyline are the positive points while the weak screenplay and slow paced narrations becomes the negatives of Sakuni.
Final Analysis:
It has to be very gripping in a political drama from the start to end but the director failed to maintain the tempo of the movie.Sakuni is a political entertainer that is worth watching once for a sparkling performance from Karthi and an entertaining second half.Watch Sakuni movie if you are love watching political satires Vote for Money, Corruption, Lack of people’s confidence on opposition etc.
