Bhale Unnade review

Bhale Unnade is Raj Tarun’s fourth film of the year, after Naa Saami Ranga, Purushottamudu and Tiragabadara Saami. Manisha Kandkur, the daughter of Kannada-Telugu producer Manjunath V Kandkur, makes her debut with this film, as Raj Tarun’s leading lady. Abhirami, who has had a winning streak this year with her impactful mother roles in Maharaja and Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, is playing Raj Tarun’s mother in the film. Legendary director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao and acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson have also played cameos in the film. Bhale Unnade is presented by Maruthi, and the film seems to embody the spirit of Maruthi’s films with its doses of comedy, romance and drama. 

What is it about? 

Raj Tarun plays Radha, a professional saree-draper. He is always ridiculed by his neighbors and other onlookers for pursuing feminine interests like cooking and saree-draping. He is also extremely shy with women and refuses to get intimate with them, even when women approach him. He meets and falls in love with Krishna, who is totally his opposite. An outgoing and bubbly bank employee, Krishna always dreams of a grand romance with her to-be boyfriend or spouse. Suspicions arise from Krishna’s end when Radha does not show romantic interest in her despite expressing his love. Misunderstandings also come their way when Krishna begins to lean harder into her suspicions, without checking in with Radha. Whether this couple will surpass all these hurdles and misunderstandings and unite in love forms the crux of the film. 

Performances

It is commendable to see Raj Tarun play a professional saree draper whose existence makes us question our gender stereotypes. While Raj Tarun rises to the occasion for the role, the performance is not as impactful as it potentially could be due to some gaps in the writing. 

Manisha Kandkur is beautiful and lights up the screen with her presence but she does have some serious room for improvement in the acting department. Her cutesy performance is easier to watch when the story is light, but it does not match up in its more dramatic portions.

Abhirami gets a longer and more impactful role in Bhale Unnade. She has an extremely likable and endearing screen presence. She plays the part of a progressive single mother with the dignity and gravitas it deserves. Interestingly enough, Abhirami’s namesake, Tamil actor Ammu Abhirami (who had played Venkatesh’s niece in Narappa), plays the younger version of Abhirami here in a brief flashback.

VTV Ganesh, Hyper Aadi, Racha Ravi and others provide some functional, if not superlative, comic relief. 

Singeetham Srinivasa Rao wins the hearts of many with his adorable cameo of a doting husband. Those who recognize the man are in for a treat!

Technicalities

The film is set in Vizag and for the most part, it looks authentic. One gets a feel of Vizag, instead of the feel of a film shot in Hyderabad, while passing off as Vizag. Cinematographer Nagesh Banell keeps the frames of Bhale Unnade very vibrant and colorful, playing a lot with blues and whites. 

Apart from a catchy BGM (that also features in the trailer), there is nothing much to write home about, when it comes to the film’s music. The makers of the film could have worked harder on the music because there are many full-length songs in the film, with montages and dancing. 

Thumbs-up

Comedy

Performances 

Thumbs-down 

Lag due to multiple songs & a slow second-half

Incomplete story 

Music

Analysis

Bhale Unnade has an equal amount of interesting aspects and shortcomings. While the film feels like a middling affair, it is, nevertheless, for the large part, watchable. 

It is interesting to see the makers of the film choose to talk about many sensitive social issues. There is also a mythological underpinning which draws parallels to the Radha & Krishna in the film with the original Radha and Krishna. 

That said, the makers should have taken time to explore Radha’s character deeper. The messaging behind the film also feels hasty and rushed up. There is a sense of incompleteness in the film because the makers opt for a comedic treatment at the cost of everything else.

While the first half of the film feels cute, the second half is tiring to watch. There isn’t much story there to engage the audience, which keeps them wondering “when will the film end?”, instead of “how will the film end?”. 

There is also many portions in the film that induce a sense of lag, due to its pacing and dialogue. More than an editing problem, this is a writing problem. The audience is better off watching Bhale Unnade on OTT rather than the theatres.

Verdict — Oka maadhri ga Unnade

Rating: 2.25/5