Directed by: Gangadhar
Producers: Pradeep Yadav, Mohan Yella
Music Director: Kaala Bhairava
Cinematography: Sreenivas Bejugam
Editor: Pawan Kalyan Kodati
Related Links: Trailer
Another small film called Mukhachitram released today. The film features Vishwak Sen in a cameo and is directed by Gangadhar. So let's see how it goes.
Story:
Raj Kumar (Vikas Vasishta), a prominent plastic surgeon, likes and marries a girl named Mahathi (Priya Vadlamani). But another girl named Maya Fernandez (Ayesha Khan) continues to have a crush on him since childhood and Raj's marriage is a source of disappointment to him. When all is well, a series of events occur that turn Raj's life upside down.
Extra Points:
The makers are to be commended for choosing a sensitive yet relevant concept and presenting it without hesitation. The social message given is the heart and soul of the film, which makes the viewer think deeply. Vishwak Sen's presence in the important climactic episode adds value to the film and the actor is good in a brief cameo.
The second half of the movie is decent, this is when things start getting serious and engaging. Still, the basic twists presented here are good and impactful. Several scenes were well grounded and linked in the last hour, which was effective.
The surprise package of the film is Priya Vadlamani. He was amazing in key sequences and carried his role with poise. Priya's performance as a traditional girl was very effective and her character was also well written. Vikas Vasista is excellent in his role. Chaitanya and Ayesha Khan were also good.
Negative points:
Although the filmmakers were successful in coming up with a good concept, the story was not very engaging, reducing the impact of the film as a whole. A better script with less length would have done wonders. In places, the comedy didn't work.
The director takes his sweet time to build the actual plot and by then the audience might get bored. There isn't much to the plot in the entire first hour. Here, the romantic track between the lead pair was not effective. It's only towards the interval that things start to get exciting.
Again, the first minutes of the last hour were wasted. In places, the film was a bit excessive and melodramatic. If things were kept normal, the message could have been even more effective. In addition, the film missed several points of logic, which should have been clearly demonstrated.
Technical Aspects:
The background score by Kaala Bhairava is strong in key scenes. The songs are not that great. Sreenivas Bejugam's cinematography is beautiful, so are the production values. However, the editing team had to delete several unnecessary scenes and trim the film down a bit.
Coming to director Gangadhar, he has done a passable job with the film. While the story penned by Sandeep Raj was engaging, the execution was average. More focus was required on the first watch, which is slow. In the film, the plot should have been established a little earlier. The team has excellent artists who give their best.
Verdict:
As a whole, Mukhachitram has a relevant theme that works only in parts. The second hour is passable with decent twists and fair performances. But to enjoy all this, you need to pass the first half badly. If you are satisfied with this aspect, give this movie a chance for the message it carries.