Korean Kanakaraju, brought out by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainment, hits the cinemas today.
Plot:
The story revolves around Kanakaraju (Varun Tej), a rugged youngster from Penukonda in the Rayalaseema region. His life turns upside down when he comes into contact with a mystical artifact from South Korea and becomes possessed by the wandering spirit of a feared Korean underworld gangster. The sudden supernatural possession causes Kanakaraju to periodically transform into a violent alter-ego who speaks fluent Korean. A series of chaotic and hilarious situations follow. To uncover the mystery behind the Korean ghost and free himself from the possession, Kanakaraju, along with his girlfriend Chaitra (Ritika Nayak) and his friend (Satya), travels to South Korea. In Korea, they confront local gangsters and unravel the backstory behind the spirit's connection to the artifact.
Performances & Technical Departments:
Varun Tej brings an easy, chatty energy. His dialect-heavy delivery and relaxed body language are decent. In Matka, he came across as someone trying too hard. In the film under review, he is effortless. Satya breathes life into many scenes, carrying the film's Prema Katha Chitram-coded energy single-handedly. After Nari Nari Naduma Murari and Jetlee this year, he once again shows he is inimitable. He is ever-so-present, almost reminding the film that it should revolve around his talent.
Ritika Nayak gets to be seen alongside the male lead and Satya in too many scenes. Since the romantic track is woefully unconvincing, her performance lacks an emotional quality. Daksha Nagarkar (in an unpretty cameo) and Avasarala Srinivas have forgettable parts. Muralidhar Goud (as Satya's father), Sunil (as the hero's Penugonda-based rival), VTV Ganesh, and Bhimala Revanth (of Sankranthiki Vasthunam fame) are not bad. Temper Vamsi's track isn't effective.
Music director Thaman S' mandate was to let every action scene hit a peak. The loud score and the tacky sound design chip at the slick tone of the Korea-set action set pieces. Cinematographer Manojh Reddy's craft doesn't help much. Editor Satyaa G gets to toy around the high-octane action parts. Art Director A Pannerselvam's work is decent. Some of the outdoor locations make the rich scale of production obvious.
Post-Mortem:
Korean Kanakaraju has no delusions about what could be. It makes no attempt to be an authentic Indo-Korean horror-comedy, choosing instead to be generic and unapologetically so. The hero receives the customary introduction fight and a dance-off with a hot woman. Right from the start, the film makes its intent clear by dialing everything to the maximum. Kanakaraju gleefully chops off a henchman's ear, assaults a male colleague of his crush, and casually slaps his closest friend. At home, however, he remains the dutiful younger son, a necessity given that his mother is played by the overly dramatic Tulasi. To add to his incidental familial troubles, his elder brother (played by Srinivas Avasarala) has also been in trouble.
After a standard first act, the film transforms midway through the first half. Kanakaraju's aggressive antics take on a fresh dimension, while the unmistakable chemistry between Satya and Varun Tej fuels an escalating streak of comedy. The second half shifts to the streets of Korea. In no time, kinetic action with physical comedy forms the film's core.
Amidst all this, the film's emotional quotient does take a beating. The hero's existential crisis doesn't seem to move his girlfriend much. The audience get to know everything with Satya. This way, we watch the tectonic incidents in Kanakaraju's life in company with the audience's proxy. The Korean gangster whose spirit has possessed the titular character is not an intriguing personality.
Kanakaraju's entrapment could have made for a really sober pre-climax. However, the film's tone is compulsively comical and there is no budging from that. Just too many scenes involve the trio of Kanakaraju, Chaitra, and the parallel lead.
Closing Remarks:
Korean Kanakaraju's duo of Varun Tej and Satya deliver. The comedy and Korea-set action keep the narrative lively after a routine start. However, the weak emotional core, and over-the-top execution prevent it from becoming more than a fun commercial entertainer.
