Srikakulam Sherlockholmes Review

In 1991, as the coastal city of Vizag braces for Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit, darkness lurks by the shore. A series of murders culminates in the death of Mary, a poor girl found lifeless on the beach. The city stirs; journalists clamour, politicians pressure, and the police - cornered by the rising tension - turn to Om (Vennela Kishore), also known as Srikakulam Sherlockholmes.

The police tell Om to solve the case in one week flat. And our Southern Sherlock gets on to it by interrogating one suspect a day (there are seven suspects). Each day peels back a layer of deceit, and soon there are even more questions than answers.

The opening moments of Srikakulam Sherlockholmes lean into history, dangling the backdrop of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination like a click-bait for the trailers. It's an attention-grabber, no doubt, but swiftly dissolves into an afterthought. The plot pivots sharply, rooting itself in the murder mystery even if plaited with Kishore's comedy, teasing intrigue with the timeless combo of crime and vulnerability.

Yet, as the investigation deepens, the humour thins. Sentiment seeps in, not organically but force-fed, leaving you stranded between an incomplete comedy and a forced thriller. The narrative stretches, unravelling not through clever reveals but through abrupt confessions. Om's week-long inquiry amounts to a single monologue where the guilty fall into place without the thrill of the chase. Subplots bubble to the surface but evaporate without impact. Ananya Nagalla's romance with Raviteja Mahadasyam wobbles under the weight of artificiality, while the organ trafficking thread spirals into melodrama rather than suspense. The film asks for leaps of faith it hasn't earned, making it difficult to invest in characters or their fates.

By the time the credits roll, the journey feels less like a winding mystery and more like a straight road to predictability.

In the recent couple of years, Vennela Kishore has juggled between scene-stealer and leading man, excelling as comedic relief but faltering when placed as the lead. Srikakulam Sherlockholmes marks another attempt to flip the script, unfortunately with similar results. Kishore commands the early frames, his signature comedic ticks in full display, coaxing chuckles with ease. His gift lies in transforming mundane scenes into comedic gems, often overshadowing entire casts with his effortless timing. But here, with the spotlight fixed solely on him, his charm flickers rather than blazes. He has the lion's share of screen time, but his punchlines land sporadically, and the sustained pressure of carrying the narrative exposes the cracks.

Ananya Nagalla, however, disrupts the predictability. Initially perceived as a soft-spoken lover and an abiding sister, her character pivots in a way that lends weight to the otherwise featherlight script. Nagalla navigates this shift with subtlety, her performance injecting much-needed intrigue and grit.

Visually, Srikakulam Sherlockholmes struggles to make an impression. Flat cinematography, uninspired background scores and slow pace plague the movie. The production values are just about passable, with nothing cinematic about them.

Labelled as a comedy thriller, Srikakulam Sherlockholmes delivers little of either. The comedic flickers feel fleeting, and the drama overwrought. Naming the film after the legendary detective feels more misleading than playful. If you seek laughs or mystery, look elsewhere. This case is closed.