An old fashioned socio-fantasy flick

AA Arts which had earlier produced several hit films like 'Police, Deva, Amma Nagamma and Amma Durgamma' once again brought yet another socio-fantasy film with snakes in its backdrop. The director of the film L Sanjeeva himself scripted the story and screenplay. Had the film come in the 80s or in early 90s, it would have some commercial value but with the changed times, such socio-fantasy movies were a strict 'no-no' for the current generation audiences.

There is a big snake park in Hyderabad and there is a professor (Nizhalgal Ravi) who is the director of the snake park. He used to conduct a research on snakes and their species with the help of five students (Brahmaji, Prabhakar, Prabhu, Sekhar and Swati Varma). They used to explain the people that snakes are just reptiles and they don't take revenge. They also don't have ears to listen to the Nagaswaram etc., to drive away the superstitious beliefs in the minds of people. At this juncture, the students of the professor start dying one after the other in mysterious circumstances. At the same time, a snake's skin used to appear at the murder spot. Two of them die of heart attack, while one more dies right in presence of the people, as an eagle which saves him from getting bitten by the snake leaves it again to take a revenge. However, minutes before his death, he calls one of his friends saying that a girl tried to attack him and kill him. As soon as the sun rises, that girl turned a snake and started chasing him only to get saved by an eagle. This confirms the doubt of the lone male student Naga Sai (Prabhakar) that it was the handiwork of a snake and its attempt to take revenge. In order to save himself from death, the professor and Naga Sai goes to a tantrik (Vijayachader) from Kerala. That tantrik reveals that something had happened earlier as everyone died on Purnami Day. He reveals that the snake which is taking is nothing but an Icha Nagu, which could take the shape of its choice on every Full Moon Day (Pournami). When the tantrik insists, Naga Sai reveals that the victims had once killed a male who resisted while they tried to molest girl. In order to prove that there are Icha Nagus to the professor, the tantrik takes Naga Sai and the professor where the students cremated the body. After digging the place, they find a long male snake. The next Full Moon Day comes and Naga Sai's life is almost in threat. However, the tantrik performs a puja and arrests the snake with his powerful mantras. Unable to see the suffering of the snake which was in the form of a girl, Naga Sai and his mother appeals to the tantrik to leave it and they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their favourite snake goddess. Learning about their sacrifice, the snake itself commits suicide, as it failed to avenge the threat. The film ends with Naga Sai and his mother performing pujas to the snake goddess.

PLUS:

The graphic works in the film are worth watching and Navneet Kaur's performance as Icha Nagu is excellent. She appears in a romantic way whenever she makes a presence on the screen. At the same time, she showed good acting capabilities all through the film, especially while taking revenge. All the heroes also played well and Brahmaji had got a major role in the film, followed by Prabhakar. The director chose the 'opening of box' theme to run a separate comedy track. However, the box had a link to the original film and the director reveals it in the climax. The director tried to maintain suspense well till the climax. Camera work by Adusumilli Vijayakumar is okay, while music by Vandemataram is average.

MINUS:

The basic theme of the film itself is an old fashioned subject. It is not known how the producers okayed the subject as the people in general and the film-goers in particular are not so superstitious to believe that a snake avenges threat. Such subjects might have gone well with the audiences of 80s. Though it has mass elements and sexy dances by the heroine, the commercial success of the film is very doubtful, because of the outdated story. None of the songs are impressive.

REMARKS:

The film begins with a different note that the professor and his students are doing some research on snakes. But by the time the film reaches climax, the director conveniently ignored the research and other aspects only to make the audiences believe that the snakes would take revenge against those who cause harm to them. Such contradictory and delicate issues had to be handled carefully. The director should have maintained both the elements on a balanced manner right from the beginning which was not so. Let us wait and watch how far the film would gel with the audiences.

Cast: Navneet Kaur, Brahmaji, Prabhakar, Sameer, Vijayachander, Prabhu, Sekhar, Nizhalgal Ravi, Gundu Hanumantha Rao, Ram Jagan, Gundu Sudarshan, Kondavalasa Lakshmana Rao, Prithvi, Swati Varma, Allari Subhashini and Sriman (special appearance) and others.

Credits: Dialogues – Veligonda Srinivas, Music – Vandemataram Srinivas, Cinematography – Adusumilli Vijay Kumar, Action – Ganesh, Co-producer – AAN Sastry, Production – AA Arts, Screenplay and direction – L. Sanjeeva.

Banner: Nisha Neha Productions