Krishna Vrinda Vihari Movie Review: Entertaining, but only in parts

Krishna Vrinda Vihari Movie Review: Entertaining, but only in parts

Krishna Vrinda Vihari is a familiar story that has been packed smartly with entertainment, but one can only wish it offered more
Rating:(2.5 / 5)

Romance in a cross-cultural setting isn't new to our audience. In fact, Krishna Vrinda Vihari gives a feeling of revisiting Nani and Vivek Athreya's recent rom-com Ante Sundaraniki, where a Brahmin boy had to overcome a lot of difficulties to marry a Christian girl. However, that three-hour-long film is stereotype after stereotype devoid of real dramatic conflict. And though there is a sense of deja-vu, Krishna Vrinda Vihari manages to evoke humour from its serious situations and they work like a charm. Director Anish Krishna told a simple narrative entertainingly. Interestingly, for those in a cross-cultural romance, the story of this film could resonate with your own tale.

Cast: Naga Shaurya, Shirley Setia, Radhikaa Sarathkumar
Director: Anish Krishna

Krishnamachari aka Krishna (Naga Shaurya) is born into a middle-class orthodox Brahmin family in West Godavari. He has big dreams and wants to have two things in his life -- money and a girl by his side. He begins to work as a technical trainer in a software firm and he falls head over heels in love with his project manager Vrinda (Shirley). She begins to like him for the way he is, but cannot reciprocate her feelings for him due to a problem. How does this story culminate?

On paper, the film has a wafer-thin storyline - a Brahmin boy overcoming a lot of hurdles to make his relationship work. The film does take some time to warm up a bit in the first half introducing the characters and their conflicts to the audience. Despite its predictability, the story manages to kindle some interest in the viewer with suspense, which is used to bring into question Vrinda's character and her intentions. After the twist gets revealed, the film switches gears in the second hour with enjoyable comedy. The quips and the deprecating humour at the two cultures are all the film's laugh-out-loud moments. After taking you on a roller-coaster fun ride, the climax, however, is a tad disappointing and lacks bite.

Although Krishna Vrinda Vihari is all about a young couple winning over the love of their parents, the film feels like yet another old-fashioned family drama that emphasizes respecting traditions and ideals while also discussing the contemporary and modern world-relevant and relatable sensibilities. This is a film that is primarily held together not by a strong plot. Rather, a convenient plot is stretched and written around the so-called commercial elements that we have seen so often in Telugu cinema.

Naga Shaurya and Shirley Setia exude great onscreen chemistry. Shaurya owns the character of Krishna and slides into the mild-mannered man's role with a lot of ease. He looked natural in the requisite action sequences and songs. Shirley makes an impact in her maiden act.  Vennela Kishore steals the thunder in a crucial yet comical role in the film. He leaves us in splits with his brash dialogue delivery and proves his consistency yet again by delivering what is expected from him. Brahmaji, Satya, and Rahul Ramakrishna, too, complement Kishore with their reliable performances. Raadhika Sarathkumar, who plays Krishna's mother, did justice to her part, albeit with no great effort. Mahati Swara Sagar's music is just about okay, but his background score aligns well with the theme of the film.

Overall, Krishna Vrinda Vihari is a familiar story that has been packed smartly with entertainment, which works only in parts.

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