Kalisundaam Raa Review

Two estranged families, a bitter incident, two decades and no contact! A pretty girl in one family and a handsome guy in the other. Their hearts skip a beat each time they see one another despite vehement opposition from their elders... They get married and the families reunite. And, all's well that ends well!

Sounds quite familiar, right? But that's exactly what Kalisundaam Raa is all about. The theme, nevertheless, is given a slightly different touch. However, it has been proved the umpteenth time that narration is more important than the narrative itself. Director Udaya Sankar tells afresh a time-tested story using every trick up his sleeve to make an eminently absorbing movie that is worth your three hours spent in the hall.

When Raghu (Venkatesh), a Mumbaikar, visits his grandfather's household in the village he doesn't know one aunt from another. He also doesn't know about the long-standing feud with the neighbors caused by the cowardice of his father who has since been excommunicated from the family.

The moment he meets his rather childish medico niece Manga, it is chemistry at first sight. But then, when his grandfather finalizes her marriage with his sister's grandson in a bid to reunite the two families, he can't come in the way and repeat what his father has done. But the cat is soon out of the bag and history comes to a full circle in Raghavaiah's household.

Venkatesh, as has been proved, is always at ease with the 'easy-going, fun-loving guy' roles. Simran with her measured Barbie doll smile (she smiles only so much, nothing more and nothing less) looks cute. Her figure takes her places, naturally, and she is simply stunning in song sequences picturized on scenic locations abroad. The pranks the couple plays on each other provide the needed comic relief in a heavy drama of sentiment and revenge.

The film boasts of an array of talented artistes. Apart from the regulars like Brahmanandam and Rallapalli, veteran director K Vishwanath as village landlord Raghavaiah, Anjali Devi as his wife, hero-turned-character actor Ranganath as his wronged brother-in-law and Srihari as an angry and vengeful youth breathe life into their roles.

A nostalgic touch is given to the film when late veteran actor N T Rama Rao emerges from a picture on Rallapalli's T-shirt and shakes a leg with the hero and the heroine.