Raja The Great: This Raja shines only in parts

Discrimination against disabled people is rampant in every corner of the society. But, the apathy makes them stronger, and such people take life as a challenge with great composure and confidence. In Raja The Great, the protagonist Raja (Ravi Teja) dares to fight against all the odds and every time someone questions his capabilities, he proves them wrong time and again with his exceptional skills. Raja, who was raised by his single mother Anantha Lakshmi (Radhika) has a positive disposition towards his life and often says a word -- ‘I’m blind, but I’m trained.’ He gets entrusted with the responsibility to save Lucky (Mehreen) from the evil clutches of Deva Raj (Vivan Bhatena).

The film has a routine story which is louder than all the previous outings of Ravi Teja. Right from the word go, director Anil Ravipudi tries hard to make the audience laugh, laugh and laugh but, he succeeds only in parts as a few scenes look absurd. However, one notable aspect is the seamless performance of Ravi Teja. He puts his heart and soul into the character, and pulls off a role that needs a lot of guts to convince and impress.

Cast: Ravi Teja, Mehreen, Radikaa Sarathkumar, Srinivas Reddy
Direction: Anil Ravipudi

It's not often we see films that have a visually impaired youth as the protagonist, so the newness keeps us hooked onto the tale. But, Anil Ravipudi has failed to add the necessary spice and seasoning to the narration, which goes haywire for a good hour. For example, the bank robbery episode in the first hour is completely filled with talk and looks unbelievable. We are constantly aware of the flaws in the film, but Anil keeps us fed with some witty one-liners and the forceful introduction of too many characters.

A good commercial potboiler needs a touch of realism, and unfortunately, Raja The Great lacks it. The film doesn't fully deliver on its promise as a lot of the story unfolds through dialogue and heavy-duty action sequences which sometimes put a brake on the tempo of the narration.

The support actors like Rajendra Prasad, Pavitra Lokesh, Vidyullekha Raman, Posani Krishna Murali, Surekha Vani and Sana don't stay beyond their welcome. Srinivas Reddy impresses as Ravi Teja's sidekick, while Sampath Raj plays a mediocre role. Vivek Bhatena shines brightly as the antagonist. Sai Kartheek's music is loud and  the background score is uninspiring.