Dhee - Kotti Choodu Review

The father is the mother of success in Tollywood. It doesn't then really defy the odds that Manchu Vishnuvardhan Babu should get Srinu Vaitla and Genelia - at the height of her career yet - to heave him along given the enervating baggage of his 3 outings at the box-office. And it perhaps does the trick. An entertaining screenplay (read mostly the comic parts) and star power (read Genelia) finally get the crowds tolerant. Vishnu might have a future yet - moles, warts and all.

Srinivas (Vishnu) is a standard issue movie lout, who has a bunch of slack-jawed hangers-on for friends, and moral values that are, ahem, mostly under construction. His hapless father Narayana (Chandramohan) pledges Srinivas' services to Shankar Goud (Srihari), a local don, pleading with the latter to instill some work ethic in his son.

Self-respect to most goons translates to over-confidence, and Goud will not believe that Srinivas is capable of anything but unquestioned soullessness, like all his other minions. Srinivas, however, has a little more pep and verve than an average goon's accountant, or maybe even Genghis Khan. For, right in the lion's lair, he attempts to fool around with its crown jewel, in this case Goud's treasured sister Pooja (Genelia).

You could argue that the romance between Srinivas and Pooja is contrived. You could also be right. Heck, let's leave that alone. The movie keeps itself blithe with Pooja's uncalculated recklessness, Srinivas' stitches in time, and Chary's (Brahmanandam) constant mortification. It bobs about on its own now-lighthearted now-tense waters, and as you find yourself confidently giggling multiple times every reel, you're willing to forgive any flattering to deceive.

When Goud finalizes Pooja's wedding with a US-based doctor, the couple elope to get married in Yadagirigutta. However, the long arms of Goud catch up with them. To Dhee's credit, it doesn't become all drama and gore after this - the film retains a good bit of its jauntiness and creativity almost till the end.

It can be tempting to join in when you're sitting next to a bunch of guys sniggering with elaborate gumption at Vishnu's build and the attendant gaucherie. It's embarrassing when you realize that he is sitting right in the theater, 2 rows away, and can perhaps hear all that. Vishnu appears to have worked on his lisp, and is pretty expressive - he could now do something about the way he looks. He doesn't want reviewers and bloggers to erect a monument soon to the thought.

This is a romance, and Genelia has a significant role, which she brings her trademark effervescence to. On the flip side, she looks repetitive - same expressions, and sad lip-sync. A cheerless byproduct of a huge hit is that most people have seen it multiple times, and now know every twitch of your face. If you are going just to see her, it'll be like drinking warm water when you're really thirsty on a summer afternoon.

Srihari, Brahmanandam (who has a full-bodied role after a long time instead of a cameo, and is awesome), Chandramohan and Sunil are the ones who really make this one watchable. The film has a good comic side that contributes to its self-worth. The music, however, might take its time.

Dhee (and why is it called that?) is not worth 100 bucks (the show wasn't full on the first day). Or perhaps even 80. But it's worth something. At least until Venkatesh, Siddharth, Ravi Teja and Prabhas hit the BO turnstiles.