'Nenu Na Rakshasi' Review: Suicidal Attempt

Film: Nenu Na Rakshasi
Rating: 2.75/5
Banner: Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Productions
Cast: Rana Daggubati, Ileana, Abhimanyu Singh, Subbaraju, Nagineedu, Ali, Mumaith Khan etc
Music: Rahman, Viswas, Anup Rubens
Lyrics: Rahman, Vishwas
Cinematogrpahy: Anmol Rathod
Producer: Nallamalupu Bujji
Story, Screenplay, Director: Puri Jagannath
Release Date: 29th Apr 2011

Puri Jagannath is back after Golimaar. He attracted the attention of the audience with the title ‘Nenu Na Rakshasi’. The term Rakshasi was assumed to be an adamant lover by majority audience. Knowing the genre where Puri is comfortable, the audience has piled some expectations on the film. Let us see if this has met the expectations.

Story:The movie starts with Ileana committing suicide by hanging herself to death.

Abhi (Rana) is a professional shooter. Meenakshi (Ileana) is a cute girl who works in a coffee shop. She has the typical hobby of shooting the real suicides and upload in youtube. 

The reason for Abhi becoming a shooter is the deaths of his parents in the hands of a cruel gangster named Rathna (Abhimanyu Singh). And the reason for Meenakshi to record the suicides in video is similar to that of Abhi.

An inspector (Subbaraju) investigates into this anonymous up loader of videos. He has a little daughter who gets close to Abhi, being neighbor. This little girl delivers a few punch dialogues which are true and to be underlined.

Abhi falls in Meenakshi’s love. With the series of happenings, who remains at last will form the rest of the story. Who commits suicide? Is the lady who committed suicide in the beginning is Meenakshi? What happens to Abhi? What happens to the little girl? To know answers, watch on big screen.

Performances:
Rana’s looks are matchless and needless to say again and again indeed. But he has to groom his energy levels in acting, expressions and gait. There is no other way than gaining experience in doing films continuously. He has no dancing material in him and that is not a minus point at all for an actor. He can stand as great actor even though not a good dancer. All that he has to do is gaining confidence and showing energy levels in his trade mark style.

Ileana is ok with her hour glass figure but she is remembered as a rough minded lady in this film than as a Cupid’s arrow.

Subbaraju is perfect as Cop but he has minimal role.

Mumaith Khan appears in a special role like a vamp but preaches the materialistic way of living in a song.

Ali managed to entertain audiences with his typical histrionics. Abhimanyu Singh is ok with his villainy.

Music is the plus point in this film and songs made audiences glue to seats. Background score by Anup Rubens gave a different feel for the film.

This is a higher level script that can go well only with intellectuals. Regular audiences cannot call this an entertainer.

Plus points:

• Music and songs
• Production values
• First half

Minus Points:

• Plot
• Screenplay
• Characterization
• Essence
• Second half
• Vulgar comedy

Analysis:
Both hero and heroine in this movie are shooters. While hero shoots with gun, heroine shoots with camera. While the hero shoots to kill the living, the heroine shoots to record the killing. It’s a pseudo thought tried to add a genuine color to it. The movie show cases cruelty in the disguise of reality. One needs to watch this movie with brain to understand that ‘reality’ and otherwise it sounds to be cruel.

This is the film made in the genre of filmnoir. The lead character in the film is Ileana with her cynical attitude on suicides. It is indeed difficult for Telugu audiences to digest such a character in a heroine. She neither opposes nor supports suicide but loves to shoot the individuals those commit suicide. Eerie!!!

First half of the film runs well with typical characters and takes off smooth. But the second half suffers severe turbulences and audiences start getting suffocated.  Although the character introduction of heroine is shooting the real deaths, there is no convincing end for her character even with her flash back. Well, it may appeal for those minds which have undergone real suicidal tendencies and made failed attempts. What the director wants to convey is blunt and rude. There are four characters in the movie those have come out in four dimensions from the thought process of the director.

• Live as you like and keep away the concept of sin and virtue (from the character of Mumaith Khan)
• If somebody is paining you and bringing suicidal tendencies in you, make yourself strong. Don’t revolt on them and just live your life rudely (from the character of Surya)
• If you feel your accomplishments are done and there is no one personal for you, then end your life (from the character of Rana)
• Suicides are not meaningless. They have great meaning (from the character of Ileana).

This is the typical character chart and thought line incorporated in the movie on broader scale.

These ideas are indeed cynical and hypothetical. What the director is wishing by making this movie? Is he asking the Law to make Suicides legal? Is he appealing for those who are inclined to commit suicide to carry on with their act? Is he wishing to make people strong or weak?

To answer one by one, recently the Supreme Court has suggested counseling the individuals those attempt suicide but not punish them.

Coming to next question, yes, the people those are on boarder line to commit suicide will commit it for sure. They lose ray of hope in life. (Director Ji!! Please recall Sri Sri’s song ‘kala kaanidi viluvainadi..bathuku kanneeti dhaarala thone bali cheyyaku…That song pumped hope in many hearts. They have approached Sri Sri thanking for the song that brought them back from suicidal tendency)

This film will not affect the strong people. It will affect the weak hearts by weakening them further.

This will not go well with B, C centers and A center audience try to understand the essence in this movie patiently with their heads. This is a kind of art film with commercial budget. This can be sent to film festivals and big headed critical critics may say some good lines about it out of obligations! It is a risky attempt business wise. 

Bottom Line: New age Vedanta filled with Vairagyam

Posted in: Daggubati rana,ilena,nenu na rakshasi