Balu ABCDEFG Telugu Movie
Director Karunakaran, known for gentle love stories like "Tholi Prema", blends action with romance in his new film, but fails to make an impact.
The first half of "Balu" contains delightful love scenes and comedy, but the action-centred second half becomes a routine revenge drama.
The tale begins with Shreya falling in love with the reluctant Pavan, who looks after a supermarket and enjoys life with his friends, including a local don (Milind Gunaji).
All hell breaks loose when it is revealed that Pavan was a dreaded gangster in Delhi. The flashback recounts how as an orphan Pavan was brought up by another don (Gulshan Grover).
You can watch the movie to know the rest of the story, but don't expect to be entertained.
After two big flops, Pavan, in an action role as a reformed gangster, is good.
Shreya, who proved her histrionic abilities in "Santhosham", should have played the maiden who reforms the protagonist, but is wasted as a glam girl.
The new actress Neha, is miscast in a role that demands a powerful performer, while veteran Jayasudha is wasted as a sobbing mother. Hindi actors Gulshan Grover and Milind Gunaji do not animate their roles.
Director Karunakaran, who showed promise in "Tholi Prema", but followed it up with duds like "Yuvakudu" and "Vaasu", pins his hopes on Pavan. But the director would surely have done better by using his own strengths.
Mani Sharma's tunes, including the chartbuster "Inthe, inthe", are a major attraction in this melodrama by reputed producer Aswini Dutt.
Dutt, who had three hits with Chiranjeevi, has teamed up with his brother for "Balu", but his lavish production does not compensate for a stale and moronic plot.
