It has been quite some time since Sudheer Babu has given a proper hit in his career. He has now pinned all his hopes on the new fantasy drama, Jatadhara. Also featuring Sonakshi Sinha and Shilpa Shirodkar in key roles, the film has hit the screens today. Let’s review it here.
Story
Shiva is a ghost hunter who explores abandoned ancient buildings in search of spirits and is in love with Sitara (Divya Khosla). When he decides to visit the village of Rudraya Nagar as part of his research, his parents (Rajeev Kanakala and Jhansi) become deeply worried. They plead with him not to go and reveal the truth about his past. What is Shiva’s past? What connection does he have with Rudrayapuram? Why has the demoness of wealth (Sonakshi Sinha) taken residence in the old mansion there? What happened during the treasure hunt in the village? The answers to how Shiva helps his parents’ souls attain peace and liberation form the story of Jatadhara.
What about on-screen performances?
There is no denying the fact that Sudheer Babu couldn’t take the film to the next level because his character wasn’t written properly.
He appears to have tried his best to offer a new experience and performs with sincerity. He put in genuine effort to get into the skin of his role and showcase his talent, but to no avail.
As for Sonakshi Sinha, the less said the better. Since this is her Telugu debut, expectations were naturally high, but her character as the demoness of wealth lacked depth and impact, leaving her performance flat.
Shilpa Shirodkar too couldn’t make much of an impression, as there is nothing much that her role offers in the film, and her comeback is wasted.
Rajeev Kanakala is always good in his role and does the same in Jatadhara. Jhansi, as the hero’s mother, was also neat in her role, but nothing special.
What about off-screen performances?
Jatadhara is a film that chose parental sentiment as the main theme and tried to build the story around it with elements like tantric powers and a demoness guarding treasure.
The idea had potential, but directors Venkat Kalyan and Abhishek Jaiswal failed miserably in developing it into a solid story with proper scenes and elevation.
Even with stars like Sonakshi Sinha and Shilpa Shirodkar, they couldn’t design strong characters, which made their efforts go in vain.
Sudheer Babu’s attempt to save the weak story also went to waste due to poor character writing and a lack of emotional connection.
The first half meanders without focus, packed with disjointed scenes, a forced romance, and unnecessary songs that dilute the narrative.
Poor editing only worsens the experience. The second half opens with a flashback that momentarily raises hopes, but the story quickly loses direction again.
The concept never evolves beyond the surface. By the time it reaches the climax, Jatadhara collapses completely, burdened by weak VFX and underutilized supporting characters.
The cinematography is passable with colorful visuals. But the graphics are poor, and the production values look rushed and unimpressive.
What’s Hot?
- Sudheer Babu’s sincere efforts
- Star cast
What’s Not?
- Silly execution
- Lack of basic emotion
- Over the top scenes
- Bad production values
- Over the top characters.
Verdict
Overall, Jatadhara is a failed attempt as there’s no strong story, narration, or performance that justifies a theatrical watch. Sudheer Babu has to wait a little more longer to score a proper hit in his career.
Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2/5