Kumar Nagendra’s Tuntari (2016) Movie Review

Movie Review: Tuntari
Cast: Nara Rohit, Latha Hedge, Kabir Duhan Singh, Ali, Vennela Kishore
Screenplay and Directed: Kumar Nagendra
Music Director: Sai Karthik
Cinematography: Palani Kumar
Edited: Madhu
Censor Certificate: UA and Rutime: 124 Minutes

 “Tuntari” kicks off as a group of friend’s pen to enjoy their weekend in forest, only to come across a holy man. Kishore (Vennela Kishore) asks the holyman for a blessing, which ironically turns out to be paper on the day after Dusherra. While going through the paper, they comes some personal incidents which are about to take place in next 4 months. One of them is about local Tuntari Raju (Nara Rohit) winning boxing competition and dedicating Rs. 5Crs to his friends. At the meantime, he falls in love with Siri (Latha Hedge) and too woo his love interest, Raju decides to become a professional boxer. The rest of the story is about how Kishore and friends meet Raju, his love interest Siri and checkout prophecy thereafter is what Tuntari all about.

Nara Rohit after playing some worthwhile characters in his previous movies like Asura, Prathinidi and Rowdy Fellow, enters into a zone that shows a lot of room for improvement acting wise and timing wise. He is okay as Raju, though he seems unimpressive at many places. He seriously needs to shed some weight to look more convincing as a lead actor. Debutant Latha Hedge does the usual leading lady role of commercial film and also emotes well during the first half scenes. Shakalaka Shankar and Ali in small cameo are good in their short roles and their comic timing is good in most of the scenes. Vennela Kishore and friends are fine in their limited roles. The rest of the cast pass muster.

Telugu film industry is looking forward to new plots to offer something new to its famishing audience. But working on this urging vision, many times, scripts get approved which do sound interesting in narration or on paper, but don’t really turn up as even average entertainers on screen. Tuntari is all about how a loser wins his true love in life with a pinch of socio fantasy to it. Movie had the potential to be great comic entertainer but the amateurish and naïve script gave it all the way. A decently directed first half is followed by terribly clichéd and predictable second half that kills the overall joy. The movie starts of promisingly well with okayish comedy flowing in naturally. However the fun beings to fade gradually with comedy and romance forcibly induced with clumsy situations filled with way too many forced characters and hence the movie soon gets agonizing. While the under developed character who over act provide you absolutely no chance to connect, the cheesy, broken and heavy lines gets on your nerves.

Tuntari is one of those shacky products (Official remake of Maan Karate), unable to make any kind of favorable impact on the viewers in its two hours of duration. The Telugu screenplay is just plain sweeping all out, which in other terms we could say, damn lazy effort. However since a remake should be reviewed as an individual film first and then compare it with original later. Tuntari has fine build up in its initial hour with enough material for some silly comedy, songs and romance. The interesting conversations between the characters keep the energy moving and the viewers are just eager to see Rohit meet the killer Kabir Duhan Singh in the next sequences. Therefore the moment it comes “Interval” written on screen with Rohit promising more to come, one feels like mediocre fun, looking forward to whats next. As every Telugu film in recent times Tuntari drops hugely post intermission, second half syndrome. The film keeps on offering many forced comedy sequences, songs, romance and emotional sequences. The film becomes predictable and dragged in its final hour, even Nara Rohit fails to do justice to his character. Adding to that, songs in a serious situations is a clear indication of the confused vision of its makers and the tracks further prove the same making no contribution at all in the overall proceedings. Cinematographer tries his best to keep the viewer engaged but the weak writing and poor execution of boxing sequences in its second half don’t let it happen convincingly. Perhaps the gravest error Tuntari comes with regard to its slipshod editing by Madhu and two hour four minutes runtime looks too much for this over written script. The choreography is infantile. Production Values of Sri Keerthi Films are decent.

Movie is just like a half-baked plum cake, whose base has been baked to perfection but the top remains completely favor less. Besides a few funny moments the only other positive in the movie could be Nara Rohit that again matters only if you at least are a fan of his. He manages to get his comic timing right and tickles funny bones however his emotional and romantic sequences need a bit of polishing. To sum things up, Tuntari with just few moments of laughter is low on entertainment. Yet another forgettable remake.

Survi Review: 1.5/5