Rama Krishna Sangem
“Anni Manchi Sakunamule” or #AMS, is a feel good summer entertainer from Priyanka and Swapna Dutts. Director BV Nandini Reddy who entered Telugu film industry in 2011 with Ala Modalaindi, has established with this movie as A grade filmmaker with a bank of audience, just like vote banks of our politicians.
As Nandini said in one of her interviews on release of this movie on May 18, this film may remind us of 1994 Hindi flick, “Hum Apke Hai Kaun” of Salman Khan and Madhuri Dikshit, directed by Sooraj Barjatya, as far as celebration of family life and bonding. But the comparison ends there, #AMS is much more than that. Story by Sheik Dawood G and dialogues by Lakhmi Bhupala.
Protagonists Santosh Sobhan and Malavika Nair scored a few brownies each, not for their own performance, but for surviving a crowded ensemble of ace actors – Rajendra Prasad, Gautami, Rao Ramesh, Naresh VK, Vennela Kishore, among others. We will see at least 20-25 actors throughout , all recognizable faces, but never feel tired of seeing them. Strong woman lead characters are Nandini’s special.
Here too, Malavika Nair, as Arya, did her best to live up to the job – a tough and ambitious woman entrepreneur. Santosh Sobhan, as Rishi, a carefree youth, had to sweat out to match her, but he did it with a swag of his own. Credit goes to Nandini for giving them enough space in the script to perform.
Story line needs some brain work – two families, from an imaginary village of Victoria Puram, which supplied its famous local coffee to Queen Victoria in 19th century, fight a court case for over 54 years on a coffee estate. Rao Ramesh, Naresh on one side, Rajaendra Prasad on the other side. Their children, of course, mixed up at birth, Santosh Sobhan and Malavika, are childhood buddies, who don’t know that they are in love, until one of them – Malavika – is proposed to by a third person, like in most of Mills and Boon novels (getting engaged is the beginning of break up!).
A lot of drama, emotions and hilarious moments – and of course, a wedding scene – populate the movie. As Nandidi got what she wanted to from each of the actors, you will never be disappointed. Mickey J Meyer music, Junaid Siddiqui editing and Cinematography by Sunny Kurapati & Richard Prasad.
Rarely we won’t look at our watches in a 154 minute movie these days, #AMS is one such rarity.
