Starting Venkatesh in the lead role, Narappa is the first Telugu biggie to skip theatrical release and premiere directly on OTT since the onset of Covid second wave. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video now and let us see what it has to offer.
Story: Narappa(Venkatesh) and his family are left with no other option but to flee their village following a series of fateful incidents. But the violent confrontations the family had in the past come back to haunt them. Can Narappa save his family from the imminent danger?
What about on-screen performances?
Venkatesh breathed life into the film with his commendable performances. The way expresses complex and intricate emotions is pure class. He shoulders the film with his intense performance. Karthik Ratnam gets a brief yet impactful role and he performs very well. Priyamani, Rajeev Kanakala, Ammu Abhirami, Shree Tej, Naren, and other supporting actors do justice to their roles.
What about off-screen talents?
Srikanth Addala is known for making feel-good films that bank mainly on sensibilities. But he has taken a detour with this film. Narappa is unlike any other he had done in the past and he does a fairly decent job, albeit this film is a frame-by-frame replica of the original. Not even a single scene has been added or deleted in the remake.
Mani Sharma’s background score is identical to that of Asuran but it serves the purpose. His soundtrack uplifts the narrative in a few scenes. The cinematography is decent and so is the production designing. Editing could have been better as the flashback portion looks stretched out.
What’s Hot?
Venkatesh’s commendable performance
Background score and cinematography
Interval block and climax
Emotional connect
What’s Not?
Way too faithful to the original
Slow-paced Flashback portion
A bit too raw for family audiences
Verdict:
Narappa is a faithful remake of Asuran and is almost a frame-by-frame replica of the Dhanush starrer. But Venkatesh’s stunning performance and the emotionally engaging storyline work in the film’s favour. Those who haven’t watched Asuran might find Narappa a good watch.
Watch or Not: Those who haven’t watched Asuran can give it a try.
Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.75/5