GOAT Movie Review:
Sudigali Sudheer is very popular on television, thanks to Jabardasth and some other reality shows. He is one of the busiest personalities on the small screen, and with that popularity, he made his big-screen debut a few years ago. After acting in some films, he turned lead actor with Galodu. However, he has not tasted the same success in films that he enjoys on television.
He has now come up with G.O.A.T, a film that has been in the news for various controversies. The director was also changed after a portion of the film had already been shot. Vedavyas is credited as the director in the final version. Divya Bharathi plays the female lead, while Mogulla Chandrasekhar has produced it.
There have already been films with the title G.O.A.T, including Vijay's penultimate Tamil film and Prithviraj Sukumaran's Malayalam film The Goat Life. In this Sudigali Sudheer film, it stands for 'Godavari Outdoor Activities Trust'.
Director: Vedavyas
Cast: Sudigali Sudheer, Divya Bharathi, Motta Rajendran, Chammak Chandra, Nithin Prasanna and others
The story begins in the 1980s, after India wins the Cricket World Cup. Venkata Krishna Raju (Sarvadaman Banerjee) is a respected elderly man in Rudravaram village in Konaseema. When people turn traditional activities like cockfights and bull races into gambling, they eventually start betting on cricket matches too. Raju strongly opposes this and introduces a new rule that allows betting only on two days a year. The competitions are conducted under the banner of G.O.A.T (Godavari Outdoor Activities Trust), with Krishna Raju serving as its chairman. However, Moddu Babji (Nithin Prasanna) witnesses his father committing suicide after Raju blames him for encouraging the villagers to take up betting. This incident makes Babji seek revenge on Raju and the villagers. He then conspires to remove Raju from his position and takes control of the organisation. After that, he ignores the existing rules and encourages the villagers to become addicted to betting.
On the other side, Gana (Sudheer) comes out of jail and continues to be involved in petty crimes. He gets an offer to kidnap a bride by stopping her wedding. However, things go wrong, and he ends up kidnapping another girl, Subhashini (Divya Bharathi). Following this unexpected turn of events, Subhashini starts staying with Gana, and her presence gradually brings a change in his lifestyle.
Who is Subhashini, and what is her connection to Gana and Rudravaram village? Why does Gana return to the village, and how does he take on the people behind the betting activities? The rest of the story answers these questions.
On paper, the story sounds interesting. It has a village backdrop, people addicted to betting, a villain, an elderly man trying to set things right and a young man who comes to the village to take on the villain and restore normalcy. However, director Vedavyas fails to present this story effectively. The director confines the narrative to the village, its local politics and the weaknesses of its people. Although Subhashini is supposed to be an important character in the story, her role is not developed properly, making it difficult for the audience to connect with her emotions. Similarly, the portions involving Gana, who is expected to protect his grandfather's name but instead moves away from him and lives an ordinary life, are not convincing. The reason behind the heroine bringing him back to the village also lacks proper justification.
The kidnapping drama involving the heroine works to an extent. The Shambo Shiva Shambo title song, which is used in the background of this sequence, fits well. However, the director stretches the portions involving the heroine's suicidal tendencies for too long, making them irritating. The climax is also predictable, and by the time the film reaches its final portions, the audience may start wondering when it will finally end.
There are a few laughs here and there, but apart from those moments, the film offers very little entertainment.
Sudigali Sudheer's comedy timing and expressions are always good, and he does well in this film too. However, it feels like the director has not utilised him completely. Divya Bharathi makes her Telugu debut with this film, but her performance is disappointing. She looks dull on screen, and her character does not offer much scope to perform. Motta Rajendran gets a substantial role throughout the film and provides most of the entertainment. Nithin Prasanna, Brahmaji, Prithviraj, Ananda Ramaraju, Chammak Chandra, Pammi Sai and others play supporting roles, but most of them have limited scope.
Leon James has composed the music, while Mani Sharma has provided the background score. His experience is evident in the background music, which works well in parts. Cinematography is handled by Roussel Ellore and Sunny Kurapati.
G.O.A.T has a relevant subject, but director Vedavyas fails to present it in an engaging manner. Sudigali Sudheer's comedy timing and a few entertaining moments offer some relief, but the weak narration, stretched scenes and predictable climax work against the film.