Pappu Review

If you're trying to be Mr. Bean, the least you can do for your prospective audiences is try and understand the difference between innocent goofiness and downright hideousness. The makers of Pappu, however, aren't too keen on analytical thinking, going by how much they're focussed on selling you all the fat - between the ears, that is.

Pappu seems to have been aimed at kids, going by the sheer amount of juvenility it contains. Only, we think - and hope - kids nowadays have better sense, and better taste as well.

Krishnudu plays a jinxed loser called Pappu, whose luck keeps eluding him. After this intellectually-uplifting character sketch is provided to us at a level of painstaking detail that would have filled 3 issues of Tinkle Digest, the story proceeds.

Pappu's boss' daughter Radha (Deepika) is kidnapped, and she must be found quick. The boss' revered swamiji tells him that Radha's stars aren't looking too good now, but it is possible to nullify her ill-luck by getting a person with worse luck to help search for her.

So Pappu is made to tag along with the detective Ram (Subbaraju) who's been appointed to track her down. The goofy antics of Pappu, combined with the constant vexation of Ram, are what are supposed to make the "chase" comical and endearing.

But what Pappu the movie really is, is a mash of shamelessly borrowed jokes and utter stupidity, all targeted at making you root for the "fat, slow and dumb" combination of the underdog hero. It still would have worked if someone had taken care of the execution, but the humour is so ill-timed and the acting so contrived, you lose hope for each joke even before it begins.

What Krishnudu needs is a decent director, and not a team that chooses to let the "overweight" concept be a film idea in itself and dump the idea of intelligent writing altogether. He's no good in this flick, with scenes that showcase the lousiest in him as an actor. It is especially apparent when you watch him play the fool with Subbaraju by his side - and we suspect that when the latter is cringing at Pappu's clowning, it isn't entirely an act.

Uttej, who plays Pappu's boss' secretary, comes across as the most watchable feature in this movie. He's spontaneous with whatever little he's given to do, and makes a mark - a noticeable mark of sanity in this production. Subbaraju mostly broods his way through, and sure makes his presence felt. The heroine is of no consequence whatever, but her dubbing could have helped her cause.

The music feels like a novice's job, but a couple of songs are interesting. The visuals, aside of the creative title credits, don't go beyond mediocre.

You may watch it if you so badly want to, but fact is that this is a largely stale and weak attempt at funny. Even the elephant in the fridge will vouch for it.