Khaakhi Chokka Review

A movie starting with school children singing 'Vandemataram' can normally go any way, but given another key input - that the hero is Sai Kumar - it only confirms your worst suspicions. Yes, this is every bit the overdose of nationalism that you'd have expected it to be. It's a glorification of our police force and our auto drivers (they too wear khaki, remember?). And, going by public opinion, the very two professions that needed it. I mean, how many police officers and auto drivers are there in the ten persons you admire the most?

Balram (Thriller Manju) is the local do-gooder auto driver, and almost the entire first half is devoted to letting us know what a great guy he is. Subhash (Murali Mohan) is a war veteran who eats, sleeps and everything-in-betweens nationalism, and spouts Gandhian philosophy at the drop of anything. He even carries a flag around with him all the time. And Janardhan is a local ex-MLA who is the general villain in the plot, and his son and his friends are the baddies.

Into this perfectly normal neighbourhood comes in Pratap (Sai Kumar), and, to the general amazement of the audience, is a very quiet and unassuming guy who refuses to get riled even when the goons molest his wife Suma.

Now crime in the city is on the upswing and the police department realizes that the only man who can save the world (now see, I religiously watched the movie, so aren't I entitled to my share of melodrama too?) is ACP 'Tiger' Pratap - only, he's hung up his boots disgusted with the system. The dedicated Telugu film watcher will realize that it is now time for... flashback! Yippee!

ACP Pratap is God's gift to justice, but he's constantly forced to release thugs because of their connections. Journalist Suma is his 'fan', and after an encounter he has with some goons, she nurses him back to health. He proposes, and marriage and kids happen at the speed of 24 frames a second.

Anyway, we see that Pratap's main enemy is a guy called Bhavani. Many, many (many, many) dialogues and punchlines later, Pratap quits his job because his superior too gets corrupted. Obviously, the scourge is convinced to get back to duty and, to the great delight of the audience, goes out and kicks ass, ably assisted by Balram.

What you will not realize, in spite of this 500-word description of the story, is the mental length of the movie. You are constantly subjected to 'powerful' dialogues where once every few lines you are reminded of the 'khaki chokka'. Sometimes the intensity becomes almost laughable. And even if you have stayed convinced for till then, the logically hilarious climax deflates the whole thing.

Vicky (director, dialogues, screenplay, stunts) has an opinion about everything from law and politics to social ills and even graveyard bookings (yes, you read right). Sai Kumar's true calling in Tollywood is in full cry only after the interval, and this is the only thing that sustains interest. Go for this if you have time to kill or are in desperate need of some hilarity in life.