Waltair Veerayya

Bobby Kolli's fanboy film is a better masala film to come out in recent times. Films like Waltair Veerayya are reminders that masala cinema, when done neatly, will always be a treat.

Chiranjeevi seems to be back in form with this film and the role of Waltair Veerayya. He looks fresh, and his swag, style and comic timing are superb. Waltair Veerayya is a treat for Chiranjeevi fans this Sankranti.

The plot was anything but new; the film also sticks to a mass masala commercial entertainer template that predominantly hypes up the hero through punch dialogues. However, the treatment of the screenplay seemed interesting. It reinvented the larger-than-life image of the megastar with a comical spin.

While the film is a mixed bag, it does manage to keep you engaged for the most part. The issue with the film lies precisely in how it wavers between light-hearted and serious portions till a silly, over-the-top climax brings it to a close. Waltair Veerayya might not leave you feeling poonakalu as promised, but it's decent enough, especially if you're a Chiranjeevi fan or Ravi Teja's for that matter.

The film under review scrapes the bottom of the barrel in its attempt to give a saturated experience - an exaggeration it calls 'poonakalu loading'. Most of the time, the attempts fall flat. The problem is that it doesn't get other essential ingredients right. The comedy is insipid and Devi Sri Prasad's songs hinge too much on the Mega charm.

Neither Chiranjeevi nor Ravi Teja can save this film from drowning in shallowness. The filmmakers don't want the audience to respond to the character Waltair Veerayya, but they want us to venerate before the star playing Waltair Veerayya.