Film: Munna
Cast: Prabhas, Illeana, Prakash Raj, Kalyani, Sukanya, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Tanikella Bharani, Rahul dev, Bramhaji, Raghubabu, Venu Madhav, Venu, and others
Dialogues: Koratala Shiva, BVS Ravi
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Cinematography: C Ramprasad
Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh
Art: Anand Sai
Action: Peter Heins
Co-producers: Sirish - Lakshman
Story, screenplay and directed by: Vamsi Paidipalli
Producer: Dil Raju
Release Date: May 02, 2007
CBFC Rating: U/A

What’s it about!

Munna is all about a student taking upon a mafia leader for personal rivalry. Munna (Prabhas) is a college student. His aim is to finish off mafia don Kaka (Prakash Raj) who controls the entire city under his grip. Munna has personal vengeance to take on Kaka. An honest politician Srinivasa Rao (Kota) relentlessly works to expose Kaka but he gets killed. Meanwhile, Munna’s classmate Nidhi (Illeana) loves him. The twist in the tale is that the Kaka is none other than his estranged father who tries to sell off his mother (Kalyani) and responsible for the death of his kid sister. The rest of the film is tit for tat game.

Analysis

With Dil Raju being the most-successful producer with a credit of four successive hits, expectations were high on Munna. One expected it to be a good entertainer. But Munna fails to impress leave alone entertain. The film has definitely has slick taking but it suffers from proper script. The new director Vamsi Paidipalli has heavily relied on Peter Hains, the action choreographer, and the cinematographers (yes, there were unofficial cameramen too) than his script. And the result is Munna turns out to be soulless slick action film.

The personal revenge drama is nothing new. Even protagonist fighting against his crooked father is not really novel. The new director Vamsi tries to make up with action sequences for single point storyline. The first half itself is very average. Only in the second half after Munna telling Kaka that he is his son that the film takes momentum. Then after few minutes, particularly towards the climax, it loses focus.

There is not much entertainment in the film. The romance between Prabhas and Illeana was not properly developed. Too much of action is the undoing factor for this film.

Performances

Prabhas has grown hair for this film to get new suave look. But it doesn’t really much suit to him. Yet, he has given good performance and looked better compared to his last film, Yogi. His confrontation scenes with Prakash Raj are highlights. Illeana’s role is not etched well. It is regular glam role. And whoever given voice to her is a mismatch! Prakash Raj does the same villain character at another time. Venu as friend to Prabhas gives some comic relief. Rahul Devi and Kota Srinivasa Rao are good.

Technically the film is too bright with slick camera work by C Ramprasad (Shyam K Naidu was also credited) and superior action sequences by Peter Hains (also by Ram Lakshman!). Marthand K Venkatesh’s editing style reminds us of Ekta Kapoor’s K serials. Haaris Jayaraj’s music is okay. Only three songs – Kadulu..Kadulu, Manasa..Nuvvunde Chotu and Shriya’s item number – are likable.

What’s hot!

The interval bang and the pre-climax twist are some novel points as per as script goes. They are commendable features by the director. He has shown his skills giving the film ‘slick look’. But the silhouette shots and hero coming through smoked doors is straight lift from Ram Gopal Varma’s Shiva.

What’s not!

Poor screenplay. There is no entertainment. The romance between hero and heroine has not been properly developed. Revenge drama doesn’t have fizz.

Bottom-line!

Munna is just another action film but with slickly made. It surely does have style and technical values but it lacks proper script to hold. It is a disappointment.