Sadaa Mee Sevalo Review

It’s a pity that when someone tries to grate out a cerebral film, half a star in the rating should go to complimenting the lead lady’s looks. Yes, Shriya is the biggest reason that you’d indulge Sadaa Mee Sevalo. She looks a million dollars, with the glow of her blemishless satin skin and her swooshing hair framing her chiffons and sleeveless blouses in the most flattering way, making you wish there were a God you could plead to. This film should see her fan club move into its own headquarters.

Sadaa Mee Sevalo is the story of Tilak (Venu), a “legal counsellor” who shines in where justice is delayed. While not being a lawyer, Tilak helps deliver justice swiftly though deftly careened out-of-court settlements. An MA in Psychology, he plays on the psyche of the bad guys to win his way and help innocent people from getting caught up in the viscosity of the courts.

One day Tilak sights upon Kanthi (Shriya), and he knows that he is in love. He uses his intelligence network - his partners Sunil and Mallikarjuna Rao - to track her down and create opportunities for interaction, and then successfully woos her. She goes against the wishes of her father (Tanikella Bharani) and marries him.

One of the reasons that the film does no justice to the vast turf that its script lends it, is the lack of brio in the courtship game, considering that it takes up the whole of the first half. It’s a throwback to an Amol Palekar – Vidya Sinha romance, with Vidya Sinha just taking up space. Kanthi has got nothing going for her but her looks, and there is no quid pro quo in the conversations, no brine. Heck, there is no conversation. Neelakantham should’ve gotten someone with a track record in courtship banter to write the dialogues. Kanthi is just a bimbo in the film, which is a pity since this is a film about the relationship.

Everything seems squared away for Tilak post-marriage, but Kanthi soon realizes how Tilak’s choice of profession – taking on the bad guys for naïve good people – keeps getting Tilak in trouble, and even in and out of the slammer. She wants peace and happiness in her personal life, and soon asks Tilak to discontinue his bureau (named Sadaa Mee Sevalo) and take up an ordinary job.

It’s against everything he stands for, and after efforts to de-escalate tensions with her fail, Tilak wisely agrees. However, the last case that he is handling is against a rowdy MLA, and the latter kidnaps Kanthi.

The film takes on a noble theme – a man’s dilemma pitting his principles against his marital responsibility – but fails since, well, not as much is happening on screen as could be. It’s like the story is stretched into 150 minutes, not fit into it. There are few cute moments of marriage or courtship, few thought-provoking dialogues. Then, Kanthi could’ve been a lot more articulate and bubbly – it’s not like Shriya’s a bad actress.

The performances are all fine, and the music tolerable. The show-stealer, like we said, is Shriya. You could watch this one for her.