SOLO REVIEW

Film: Solo
Cast: Nara Rohith, Nisha Agarwal, Prakash Raj, Ali, Jayasudha, Pavitra Lokesh, Shayaji Shinde, Srinivas Reddy, Narasimha, Rao Ramesh, M S Narayana, and others
Music: Manisharma
Director of Photography: Dasarathi Shivendra
Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh
Fights: Ram - Laxman
Art: Raghu Kulakarni
Produced by: Vamsi Krishna Srinivas
Banner: SVK Cinema
Story, screenplay, dialogues and directed by: Parashuram
Release date: November 25, 2011
CBFC Rating: U/A

What's it about!
Gowtham (Nara Rohith) is brought up as an orphan and he craves to get married to a girl who has large family so that he could have a family of his after marriage. He falls for the charms of a college student Vaishnavi (Nisha Agarwal) who has great family. Vaishnavi's father (Prakash Raj) also wants marry off his daughter to a guy who has great family support, so he naturally rejects Gowtham and Vasinavi's love. Rest of the movie is how Gowtham won his love and got a family that he sought all his life.

Analysis

Director Parashuram made his debut with a youthful entertainer Yuvatha and later made a flop movie called Anjaneyulu with Ravi Teja has written and directed this family entertainer with Nara Rohith as hero. Unlike his earlier two films, Solo concentrates on subtle romance, witty dialogues and family values. The idea that an orphan seeking family through marriage is interesting and he builds the entire screenplay on it, beginning the movie with a voice over by director Puri Jagannadh.

First half of the movie moves fast with romance between Nara Rohith and Nisha, and comedy by M.S. Narayana and Nara Rohith's gang of friends - Srinivas Reddy, Narsinha, etc. Post interval, the movie falls in predictable situation and runs slowly till the penultimate climax sequences bringing the audiences in to the story again. Also Shayaji Shinde's proposal to Prakash Raj defies the logic. The film's main strength is climax scenes and dialogues. Though second half is similar to Bommarillu Bhaskar's Parugu, the final sequences bring a lump in your throat.

Performances
Nara Rohith has good looks but he needs to shrug off rigidity in expressions and body language. He was perfect for the role he portrayed in his first film - Baanam but this film needs him to look endearing as it is a family-romantic drama but he is so stoic in many scenes. Nisha Agarwal is good as she has charming looks and also delivers performance in the climax. Savita Reddy has provided voice to her. Pillar of the movie is Prakash Raj; this experienced and multiple times award-winning actor holds the whole drama even in simple scenes. Jayasudha, Pavitra Lokesh, Shayaji Shinde and Ravi are suited well.

Ali and M S Narayana provide some good laughter. Srinivas Reddy, Narasimha and others have done justice to their roles.

Dasarathi Shivendra's camera work is fantastic. For a small budgeted film both the visuals and artwork are pretty good. Manisharma's music is just okay.

As a writer and director Parashuram has matured. From his first film to this movie, there is steady growth in handling emotional scenes. As a dialogue writer, he scores big marks. Dialogues are his strength and he shows off his skills here. He should have made the film a little crispier in the second half.

Bottom-line!

Solo has interesting plot line and provides emotional quotient in the second half. A little taut narration in the second half would have made much difference. On the whole, the film is above average family entertainer.

35mmrahulsRating: 3/5