Superstar Prince Mahesh Babu's *Dookudu* 2011 Telugu Movie Review

Behind the Movie Dookudu: Pre release hype for this Mahesh Babu film has been the highest in recent times. Successful Samanta, minimum guaranteed director Srinu Vytla and the hit music from Thaman have further made Dookudu, the exciting flick of season. Let us see, how far Mahesh has justified the title?

In the Movie Dookudu: Shankar Narayan alias Shankar Anna (Prakashraj) is a mass leader in the area of Shankar Nagar in Hyderabad. He lives for poor and destitute people in his area. His rival Mallesh Goud (Kota) joins hands with Underworld Don Nayak (Sonu Sood) to kill Shankar Anna and his brother Satyam (Rajeev Kanakala). The plan is executed as the vehicle in which Shankar Anna and his followers are traveling is hit by the truck. Every body assumes that Shankar Anna is dead and his little son grows into a young IPS Officer Ajay (Mahesh Babu) who takes undercover duty to erase Nayak and his gang.

To find the clue of Nayak, here is Ajay’s team that lands in Istanbul, Turkey and there he meets Prashanthi (Samanta) who becomes his love interest. From here on Ajay keeps on posing a problem for Nayak and his followers in Hyderabad. In the mean time, it’s revealed that Shankar Anna is alive, recovered from coma. Ajay wants to see his father be happy rest of his life.

Here Ajay comes to know that, men behind his father’s car accident are none other than Mallesh Goud, Nayak and their local team. A perfect and funny sketch is laid by Ajay now to trap the entire Mafia team. How did Bokka Venkat Rao (MS Narayana) and Padma Shri (Brahmi) become scapegoats in this sketch takes the show to a climax where in as usual Ajay completes the task of being an IPS and also does his duty of a son.

Values of the Movie Dookudu: Srinu Vytla has repeated the age old trick of rope tight screenplay for his films. Story by Gopi Mohan is nothing like an innovative plot but has all ingredients needed for a commercial formula. Srinu Vytla has weaved the screenplay effectively and presented the same on screen with his wonderful Directorial abilities. Dialogues written By Srinu are repeatedly generating claps and whistles in theatres. Cinematography by Guhan and Prasad Murella is not a master work but followed a routine pattern. Same applies for editing by MR Varma. Musical output from Thaman for songs is enhanced on the screen by beautiful picturization. Production values of 14 Reels are above average.

Performance wise, ‘Dookudu’ is a one man show by Mahesh Babu. Prince has shown all round skills in comedy timing, emotional balance, action sequences and dances. The way he pronounced the word ‘POLICE’ and the way Telangana dialect is used have well synced with the character. Heroine Samanta just remained for glam sake. Prakashraj was presented in a different format and that is impressive. Sonu Sood’s villainy is okay. Show stealers in ‘Dookudu’ after Mahesh Babu are Brahmanandam and MS Narayana. All the hilarious episodes covering these two have come out non stop entertaining. Tanikella Bharanai, Kota, Subba Raju, Sudha, Dharmavarapu, Satya Krishna and the remaining laborious star cast have done the job to their roles. Item song 'Poovai Poovai' is also well picturized on Parvati Melton.

Out of the Movie Dookudu: Though this story can’t be said as an apt one for the image of Mahesh Babu yet Srinu Vytla has come out with a clean family entertainer. There are enough shades of Pokiri, Ready, Kantri and many more movies yet the final result is to please you. Audiences are coming out totally satisfied enjoying the 3 hour laughing riot mixed with action and mass heroism.

First half has got more interesting episodes with rapidly paced screenplay taking the narration in top gear with good interval twist. Second half is an improvisation or a modified version to regular Srinu Vytla movies. He tends to take too many cinematic liberties that automatically generate good fun. Second half of Dookudu is more of a screenplay based one. 

For Prince Fans, you are to have a full meal with Mahesh Babu excelling in every department. For common audience, ‘Dookudu’ might remain more than an above average movie. Lastly intelligent audience who search for creativity may not be totally satisfied by this conventional, routine, commercial formula based flick. Srinu Vytla failed to maintain the same excitement of first half in second half. There was although a bit of lag here and there, he pulled it off with highly worked out comedy.

BO wise, ‘Dookudu’ will open to a hit talk. Range of success may not be as big as ‘Pokiri’ or ‘Magadheera.’

Cinejwala Verdict of the Movie Dookudu: Definitely a Decent Hit.