Andhra King Taluka movie review: Ram Pothineni, Upendra star in a complex story made too easy, but also endearing

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Reality, indeed, is stranger than fiction, and what makes that encounter special is the exemplary set of events leading to it. It culminates a journey that – both literal and figurative – Surya and Sagar individually endure, while it simultaneously triggers a new beginning in their lives. It’s a potent reminder to the two of them of the symbiotic relationship they have shared all along, as well as the fact that stardom isn’t just a gift but also a responsibility: and if Surya is a star in the customary sense to the world, then in his small universe, Sagar is a star in his own right as the most sincere admirer of the ‘Andhra King’.

Fittingly, Mahesh Babu P finds the fan’s story to be more fascinating than the hero’s, and his reasons are plenty. Sagar is someone who is willing to climb to precarious heights to proudly parade Surya’s name on a piece of cloth. Sagar, quite literally, crosses deep waters time and again to catch a new Surya release and unabashedly celebrate it. He pledges all his measly savings on Surya, gets into frequent brawls with rival fans, takes on tall missions and even forsakes a future for a man that he believes is responsible for breathing life into his, many years ago. Surya might have earned a name through his 99 outings as a matinee idol, and is currently mulling over a slow decline in stature, but one still doubts his real-life escapades are close to being as exciting as Sagar’s.

Andhra King Taluka belongs to an era when India wasn’t in the grips of the digital medium, meaning that even performative stunts had to be done in person. It takes place at a time when cassette tapes were shared and preserved, when reel cans took forever to reach the country’s interior pockets, and when single-screen cinema halls were sanctuaries available in only two sizes: 35mm and 70mm. It also refers to a period when romances couldn’t be cast through phone screens, and one such comes to the fore in the film to add another dimension to its story. Sagar falling in love with the upper caste Mahalakshmi (Bhagyashri Borse), who also happens to be the owner of the famed eponymous cinema hall, changes his life to an extent that he not only comes of age, but also unwittingly becomes a trailblazer that he has seen Surya play countless times on the big screen.

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Once all the ‘intents’ of the film are established, Mahesh Babu P finds himself entrusted with a juggling act that, although ambitious, grows a little overbearing with time. Sagar’s arc as a fan is one of finding self-worth, and the film subtly highlights the caste/class angle that is inherently attached to it. The word ‘taluka’ has larger connotations in this context, and we get a few scenes in which the protagonist’s background is questioned and ridiculed, particularly by Mahalakshmi’s father (Murali Sharma) and brother. It’s a rather valid discussion that is grossly overlooked in the cinematic discourse, and Andhra King Taluka does its bit to underline it.

Through that, it also affords itself an opportunity to branch out to another arc that involves Sagar combating the discrimination and rising to the occasion in such a way that his search for an identity gradually envelops the people of his village. A classic hero’s journey, after all, Andhra King Taluka wishes Sagar to win over his love, be the most faithful of fans, fight social battles and be a leader, all in a single breath. So, it is of little surprise that film tires itself out after a point, settling for broad strokes instead of digging deep into a single idea of its choosing.

The fatigue shows in how the writing never finds the time and patience to dwell on its protagonist’s apparent vulnerabilities. A scene reveals that when pushed into a corner, a hidden side of Sagar surfaces — one that strips away his usual confidence and leaves him stuttering, shaken, and desperate for safety. It’s a strong and bold punctuation to a narrative that is risking predictability, suggesting that we are here to witness a multifaceted study of a young man who doubles as a movie star’s devotee. Yet, the promise is short-lived, and it doesn’t take more than a few minutes for Sagar to regain his voice and speak in platitudes that heroes normally do. A few scenes later, he realises that the challenge he has posed to Mahalakshmi’s father is unmeetable in every sense of the word, but the film once again offers instant solutions that are over the top and incredibly convenient (accentuated by Vivek–Mervin’s score). Even the setting of the island town Godipalli Lanka, where there is no electricity throughout the year and whose people have never received any formal education, feels slightly contrived because it doesn’t contribute with problems that feel real-world and relatable. Sure, a film such as this shouldn’t necessarily be about its realism, but it has enough complexity within its core to not restrict itself to grand gestures.

Here’s a trailer for Andhra King Taluka

Ram Pothineni, though, comfortably rises above all these missteps, and the film solely functions on his control as a performer. The Ready (2008) actor has been around for a long time, and there is no doubt that many desire to see him in films that can do justice to his effervescence. He gets a solid platform here to be that guy, and he also throws in surprises that elevate the material. His Sagar is charismatic and big-screen-like in several ways, yet isn’t over-embellished so that the innocence of the character is diluted. His Sagar also has a palpable ease and energy, and it is to the writing’s credit that it anchors everything in him to navigate a material that is, at times, too dense for its own good. Ram Pothineni strikes an engaging dynamic with Bhagyashri Borse, who makes an impression despite an underwritten role. Their love story required better handling, and it is certainly reflective of the unwillingness in the writing to break away from a conventional approach.

But the Sagar-Mahalakshmi romance still has enough girth to it that it cannot be dismissed. It does its job, as it were, and even manages to prop up the other ‘love story’ of the film, which is between the superstar and his fan. It would seem intentional on Mahesh Babu P’s part that he keeps Surya Kumar on the sidelines, and that decision pays off because it keeps the fan in a singular focus. It would seem intentional on Mahesh Babu P’s part that he keeps Surya Kumar on the sidelines, and that decision pays off because it keeps the fan in a singular focus. There could be a grey side to the superstar’s being that the fan knows very little of, but this isn’t a film about that; it simply looks for a hero in the person who has worshipped heroes all his life, and while the results of that search are at times a bit too convenient, they remain endearing nevertheless.

Andhra King Taluka movie cast: Ram Pothineni, Upendra, Bhagyashri Borse, Murali Sharma

Andhra King Taluka movie director: Mahesh Babu P

Andhra King Taluka movie rating: 3 stars

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