Pelli Kani Prasad review: A goofy comedy that leans too much on memes

Telugu cinema has had a long-standing love affair with goofball comedies. At their best, they are effortless, filled with impeccable timing, oddball characters, and a kind of joyous absurdity that makes them endlessly rewatchable. Pelli Kani Prasad tries to rekindle that spirit, the giddy simplicity of 90s Rajendra Prasad comedy-dramas or the madcap energy of early Allari Naresh films. And to be fair, it does land a few laughs, some genuinely amusing moments amid a few lethargic ones. A film like this makes you realise not just what we miss but why we miss it. Because where, really, are today’s comedy stars?

The absence of comedic actors like MS Narayana, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, and Jaya Prakash Reddy or the rare appearance of the legendary Brahmanandam, Sunil, and Ali on-screen has left a gaping hole in the Telugu comedy landscape. These are performers who don’t just rely on the script; they elevate it, taking a thin gag and turning it into a laugh riot. Today, filmmakers are desperately trying to fill that void, but the real question is: Do we still have the comedic voices to do it justice?

Director: Abhilash Reddy Gopidi

Cast: Sapthagiri, Priyanka Sharma, Annapuranamma, Muralidhar Goud, Vadlamani Srinivas

Pelli Kani Prasad makes a valiant effort, although it shows you that nostalgia isn’t enough. Telugu cinema doesn’t just need more comedies, it needs great comedic actors to bring golden comedic magic to scripts like this. Pelli Kani Prasad follows Prasad (Sapthagiri), a man returned from Malaysia with one desperate mission: to get married. But his biggest obstacle isn’t his own lack of charm—it’s his father (Muralidhar Goud), who believes that no male heir should get married without a proper dowry. On the other end of the spectrum is Priya (Priyanka Sharma) and her family, who together are so desperate to travel abroad that they’ll marry her off to any NRI who crosses their path. As these two absurdly self-serving families clash, the film sets itself up as a classic screwball comedy of errors.

And in parts, it works. There’s an old-school Telugu film vibe in the way characters bicker, manipulate, and ultimately, land in ridiculous scenarios. A particularly hilarious stretch involves Prasad being trapped by Priya’s family, only to be brutally thrashed when a hidden truth is revealed. And another imaginary sequence where Prasad returns to thrash them all. It’s broad, slapstick, and cheerfully chaotic, the kind of humour that once dominated Telugu cinema. The film is at its best when it sticks to this formula, embracing its own ridiculousness.

But then, there’s the part that leans on forced gimmicks and meme inserts, as well as relying too much on ‘trending’ humour. Every few minutes, a meme soundtrack blares in the background, desperately trying to tell you when to laugh. The film assumes that comedy isn’t enough on its own; it has to be amplified with viral joke references, social media trends, and audio clips lifted straight from reels. And that’s where it falters.

Cinema is supposed to create memes, not depend on them. The best comedies build their own rhythm, their own punchlines, and their own cultural footprints by prompting people to relive them through memes and implied jokes. But Pelli Kani Prasad constantly reminds you that today’s humour is increasingly shaped by fleeting internet trends. At one point, it feels like you’re watching a series of stitched-together reels rather than a film. And that’s a shame, because the film works on its own because of its situational humour rather than these artificial boosts.

Sapthagiri, surprisingly, isn’t the funniest part about the film. He plays it straight, more the target of jokes than the one delivering them. The real scene-stealers are the veteran supporting actors, particularly Annapurnamma, who bring that old-school comedic charm back to life. They’re the ones who make you laugh, the ones who understand that comedy isn’t just about the joke but rather about how you sell it. And this creates a yearning for those yesteryear comedic actors.

To its credit, Pelli Kani Prasad does attempt some level of social satire. It doesn’t just mock Prasad’s father’s dowry obsession; it also pokes fun at Priya’s family’s desperation for a foreign visa. In its own lighthearted way, it acknowledges that greed exists on both sides. But it never digs deeper than that. This isn’t a film interested in making a statement; it just wants to entertain, which it does for a reasonable duration.

Now, is Pelli Kani Prasad a great comedy? No. But is it a decent one? Sure. Pelli Kani Prasad reminds you why we need such films. Why, in the middle of a wave of loud, violent, self-serious action dramas, sometimes all we want is a silly, feel-good laugh.