Sai Dharam Tej‘s Solo Brathuke So Better is the first Telugu A-lister to hit the silver screens since March this year and the entire film industry came forward to support the film and encourage the audience to go back to theatres. Can Solo Brathuke So Better end what has been a tough and challenging year on a good note by entertaining the movie-goers? Here is what we have to say after watching the movie.
Story: Virat (Sai Dharam Tej) is completely against the concept of marriage. He wishes to live free and exercise his constitutional rights to enjoy the freedom to the fullest instead of being bogged down by relationships and marriage. He hates anyone who is in a relationship and belittles them. Virat takes inspiration from R Narayanamurthy and intends to stay single all his life and his uncle(Rao Ramesh) encourages him to stay this way.
After graduation, Virat moves to Hyderabad as gets a job in an event management company. Incidentally, Amrutha(Nabha) who is set to tie the knot with Vennela Kishore cancels the marriage in the last minute, saying she is in love with Virat. The rest of the story unveils who Amrutha is, and why she proposed to Virat, who is against relationships and marriage. Does Virat change his stand on marriage? What role does Amrutha play in Virat’s life? You need to watch the movie if you are to know the answers.
What about on-screen performances?
Sai Dharam Tej suits the role of a strong-natured man who is against marriage and he shoulders the film with his strong performance. His dialogues and dialogue delivery will connect well with bachelors. Nabha Natesh looks cute in a girl-next-door role. She does succeed in getting the emotional connect right as she performs pretty well in emotional scenes. Seasoned campaigner, Rao Ramesh is at his usual best as he plays the male lead’s uncle. He hits the bullseye with both comical and emotional scenes. An emotion sequence featuring Rao Ramesh and Sai Dharam Tej is the turning point in the film and both of them excelled in this particular episode. Rajendra Prasad and Naresh play supporting roles and they deliver what is expected of them. Satya evokes some comedy in the first half.
What about off-screen talents?
Debutante, Subbu picks a story that connects with everyone. However, his narration and screenplay are formulaic which takes a heavy toll on the tempo of the film. After a point in the second half, we can easily predict what happens next as the film strictly abides by a routine commercial template that we have seen quite a few times in the past. The comedy partly works in the first half but things fall apart in the second half and Vennela Kishore’s comedy is the least bit engaging. Subbu fails to effectively infuse the theme and motto of the film into the lead pair characters. Rao Ramesh plays the decisive role in altering the course of the proceedings. He pens good dialogues though.
Venkat Dilip’s cinematography looks good to the eye. He carries the essence of the film with his good work behind the lens. Thaman’s background is excellent, as it usually is. His songs are decent. Navin Nooli’s editing should have been better. The first half is good enough, but the tempo falls into the trenches in the second half. Production values are of top quality.
What’s Hot?
- Sai Dharam Tej’s performance
- Rao Ramesh’s emotional episodes
- Fun-filled first half
- Dialogues and background music
What’s Not?
- Formulaic narrative in the second half
- Poor and unimpressive comedy track in second half
- Repetitive scenes
- Poorly written climax
Verdict:
Solo Brathuke So Better really is a film of two halves. While the opening hour is fun-filled and keeps the viewer entertained, the second half is bland, routine, and least bit engaging. A standard template has been used to narrate the proceedings in the latter half and it kills off any excitement in the story if there was any. At a time when the audience must risk Covid to watch a movie in theatres, Solo Brathuke So Better fails to offer what is required of it.
Watch or Not?
Not worth the risk of going to theatres amidst Covid-19 scare.
TeluguBulletin.com Rating: 2.25/5
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Solo Brathuke So Better Preview: SBSB is the first big Tollywood movie releasing amidst Covid Pandemic. In both telugu states theaters opened at only 50% occupancy rule, so its assumed that the openings will not compare to pre-pandemic movie releases but if the movie attracts audience based on good content and theatrics, it will encourage other producers to release more movies in theaters apart from OTT platforms.
Coming to the movie, it is advertised as a family entertainer based on the recently released trailer. The protagonist is showcased as being against falling in love or getting married and a proponent of bachelorhood. However, he falls in love with the leading lady of the movie Nabha Natesh but is in constant denial. This brings forth comedy, action and drama, complete formula for a family entertainer. We wish the Solo Brathuke So Better team loads of good luck.
6:10 pm: Movie Started with Sai Dharam Tej voiceover on importance of woman. Opens with people protesting and burning SDT cutouts
6:20 pm: SDT entry as Virat delivering a good speech on stage regarding relationships and unveiling book about 108 slokas and how to avoid relationships
6:28 pm: Title song time – Bolo bolo bachelor, good song with nice music, followed by Rao Ramesh’s intro as SDT mavayya
6:38 pm: Hero moves to Hyderabad as he gets a job in an event management company. Satya Sudershan entry as SDT ‘s friend and comedy scenes between them are OK..
6:45 pm: Vennela Kishore’s entry as SDT’s apartment owner. SDT and Satya attends his wedding (Good comedy scenes), but the wedding gets cancelled, followed by “No pelli” song..Strictly OK song with simple steps
6:53 pm: Virat’s friends leave him one by one as they all want to get married..Virat is home alone now but still sticks to his ideology of No relationships.. few comedy scenes are on (listens to Narayana murthy interview of getting married at the right time)
7:04 pm: Virat meets Rao Ramesh (His mavayya) in Hyderabad out of blue and Rao reveals to Virat that his wife has passed away and he explains the importance of her. Very good dialogues and emotional scenes. This is when Hero changes his mind and decides to marry. He calls all his friends to share his thoughts (good dialogues)
7:12 pm: Virat’s friends try to find a girl for Virat but in vain. Good comedy scenes going on followed by Vennela Kishore’s wedding scenes at a village near Vizag.. Interval BANG
Movie is just OK until now with few good comedy scenes between Hero and his friend Satya. Vennela kishore scenes are average but Rao ramesh made some impact in the emotional scenes. Heroine Nabha’s entry (with a very good interval bang) is something to keep an eye out for.. Hope the movie picks up the tempo in the second half…
7:30 pm: Vennela Kishore’s wedding gets cancelled again. Nabha is the bride and she cancels the wedding by saying she is in love with Virat (Nabha is Virat’s junior in college and she knows that Virat hates wedding)
7:40 pm: Virat falls in love with Nabha..Fight scene is on now between a local goon (Ajay) and Virat as Nabha wants to do relief work by distributing nets to fishermen and Ajay opposes it..
7:50 pm: Nabha follows Virat’s Solo Ideology (from their college days) and calls him to give a speech for “solo bratuke so better” club in the college. She continues that club in the college and doesn’t know that Virat likes her now..
7:55 pm: Virat promises Nabha’s dad (Rajendra prasad) that he will change Nabha’s thought process and marry her..Movie is just running on auto pilot mode, nothing exciting..
8:05 pm: SDT tries to change Nabha mind by taking her to art exhibition by Hyper Aadi (FF Hussain) and show her Titanic paintings. SDT idea doesn’t work out and so is Hyper Aadi’s comedy.. Time for Amrutha song after Nabha reveals that she is going to Australia..
8:25 pm: Nabha cancels her plans to go to Australia as Rajendra prasad explains that Virat likes her and she too likes Virat..
8:30 pm: Movie nearing climax with a fight between Ajay and Virat..Keep watching this space for final review
#SaiDharamTej's #SoloBratukeSoBetter Review – రిస్క్ చేసి థియేటర్ కి వెళ్లి ఎక్స్పీరియన్స్ చేసే బొమ్మ అయితే కాదు. https://t.co/toKCu1UTML#SBSBInTheaters #SBSBFromToday @IamSaiDharamTej @NabhaNatesh @subbucinema @MusicThaman @SVCCofficial @BvsnP @SonyMusicSouth @ZeeStudios_
— TeluguBulletin.com (@TeluguBulletin) December 25, 2020