Nithiin’s Maestro, the Telugu remake of Andhadhun premiered on Disney Hotstar today. Here’s our review of the film.
Story: Arun (Nithiin), a pianist pretending to be a blind man witnesses a murder, and this sets in motion a sequence of fateful incidents. He faces a life threat from Simran (Tamannaah) and her extramarital partner Bobby. Can Arun escape the wrath of his opponents?
What about on-screen performances?
Nithiin delivers an excellent performance in the role of a guy pretending to be blind and eventually ends up losing his vision for real. His composed performance is one of the driving forces of the film. His act can’t be compared to that of Ayushmann’s in Andhadhun but he is good in his own way. Tamannaah looks absolutely gorgeous but she doesn’t fit the role. She looks too young to be playing such a role. Nabha Natesh plays a brief role and she delivers what is expected of her.
Ananya Nagalla is decent and so is the guy who plays Tamannah’s partner in crime. Harshavardhan, Mangili, and others play supporting roles and they deliver good performances.
What about off-screen talents?
Merlapaka Gandhi doesn’t alter the script too much. The core plot remains intact. Very minor cosmetic changes were made to the narrative but the whole screenplay is identical to the original, Andhadhun. However, the desired emotional connect isn’t sustained through the course of the film. Mahati Swara Sagar’s background score is bang on point. His songs are okayish. The cinematography is impressive.
Plus Points:
- Nithiin’s performance
- A few thrilling scenes
Minus Points:
- Way too identical to Andhadhun
- Lack of emotional connect
- Uneven screenplay
Verdict: Maestro is a faithful remake of Andhadhun but it isn’t as sleek as the original. It has a few bright moments spread sparsely in both halves, but the narrative loses steam a bit too frequently. The film might make for a one-time watch if you keep your expectations in check.
Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.5/5