Sriwass’s Loukyam (2014) Movie Review

Cast: Gopichand, Rakul Preet, Brahmanandam, Chandra Mohan, Prudvi, Sampath Raj, Hamsa Nandini and Raghu Babu.

Director: Sriwass

Screenplay: Kona Venkat & Gopimohan

Story: Sridhar Seepana

Music: Anoop Rubens

Venkatesharulu (Gopichand) a happy go lucky guy, helps his friend run away with Neetu (Shyamala) from Warangal. The first 15 minutes is a mindless hotch-potch to establish the main characters, plot and story be damned. Before you know it, Venky falls head-over-heels in love with Babji’s sister Chandrakala (Rakul Preet) in Hyderabad. There’s a villain too in this Keshavulu (Mukesh Rushi), who tries to damage Babji’s reputation in Warangal. Babji (Sampath) takes away Chandrakala to Warangal knowing that she fell in love with someone. In the meantime, Keshavulu plans to kill Chandrakala, but Venky rescues her from the issue. Then he tries to make her family convince for his love. Will Venky marry his true love forms the rest of the storyline.

It was up to Gopichand to salvage the show and I must admit, the actor flaunts the attitude all through. But he lacks the freshness and mannerism to ease through this kind of characterization. Rakul Preet looks completely gorgeous in this role, but pairing with Gopichand lacks the fizz. Chandra Mohan and Brahmanandam, who have worked in several comic capers and masala fares earlier, are effortless, but not memorable. Mukesh Rushi does his casual routine in this role. Sampath continues his “Mirchi” mark characterization. Shyamala is okay in her small role. Raghu Babu, Krishna Bhagwan, Raghu and Satyam Rajesh are middling in their roles. Prudhvi succeeds in tickling the funny bones. It’s a joy watching him in a spoof characterization. Hamsa Nandini sizzled in her cameo.

Although, the credit for the story (Sridhar Seepana) and screenplay has been given jointly to Gopi Mohan & Kona Venkat, but you’ll keep wondering where is the story-line or what the story all about is. It has no story worth the title, and its eccentric characters are eloquent impersonations that turn more and more bizarre as they lunge towards a protracted and action-packed climax that turns out to be far and away the most enjoyable part of the film. Most of the comic gags that Loukyam conjures up hinge on the film’s pivotal casting coup. You have to go looking for the plot with a microscope. Derisive disregard for basic decency is meant to be cool in this film. In the endeavor to imbue Gopichand’s happy-go-lucky with a sense of mischievous ingenuousness the narration becomes woefully heavy headed. The tone adopted is that of a conversation between reputed stand-up comedians who are out to prove they can convey the seriousness of existence even while maintaining the comedic tone that is expected of them.

It is the technical factor that harms the film further. What makes this film rather cringe worthy is the absolutely obsolete music by Anoop Rubens. Except the Ninnu Chuddagane song, the rest ruins the film. The moment the last track appeared, people left the theatre in relief. Background Score gives us the deja vu of Chakri & Manisharma’s tunes. The other creative aspects of Loukyam can’t redeem it either. The cinematography by Vetri wears a strange digitally enhanced look, as if it had been washed in some kind of Cocktail. The editing by S R Sekhar employs routine-effects jarringly and doesn’t save the movie during its runtime of 149 minutes. Sriwass sorely disappoints in all aspects of the film he is a part of. Production values of Bhavya Creations are grand. Producer V. Anand Prasad didn’t compromise for any scene.

It is apparent that Sriwaas wanted a slickly made conventional blockbuster, and therefore relies on a mixture of tried and inflexible elements the audience is known to respond to. There is routine script, routine plot, with no chemistry, only brazenness and a lot of it. It insults the viewer’s intelligence and is an example of the Telugu film industry’s reluctance to let go of timeworn storylines that were all a rage decade ago. But, yes if you want only entertainment without looking at any other aspect of movie-making, you can give it a shot. On the whole, this film proves the byword “All that glitters is not gold” absolutely right. LOUKYAM is a huge disappointment.

Survi Review: 2/5

Theatrical Trailer: