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Panjaa Movie Review

Panjaa is a film of anti-heroes, all the characters either kill, get killed or languish in fear of being killed. The power between two groups, the machinations of it's members, the enmity and revenge is the crux of the story. Jai (Pawan Kalyan) plays the role of a hench man for Bhagwan (Jackie Shroff) and Kulkarni (Atul Kulkarni) comes out and forms the break away group.

The director clearly establishes the point and gives reason why you should like Jai though he is into the shady business; He in the preludes states that it is wrong not to show gratitude and also equally incorrect to expect it. Bhagwan has a battery of loyal men but trouble brews when he expects this loyalty to extend to his son as well. This stems from the insecurity he has in the face of his son's unacceptable behavior and character.

Jackie plays an interesting role of a powerful man whose love for his son clouds his judgement and refuses to see the truth in the counsel of his people around. Sesh Adivi is Munna, Bhagwan's son who triggers and precipitates the conflict. In this film Jai is shown as looking at his watch consistently to accomplish his task within the deadline.

Director Vishnu Vardhan who makes his debut does a smart job of encapsulating the major part of the story in establishing it within the first hour of the film and uses the second part to resolving it. Vishnu's penchant for style is very visible in the entire story and chooses and makes all his villains look cool and good-looking, there is never an unpalatable face.

Just like Jai's fear for his past threatening to disturb him when he is in village looking at himself in the mirror, the director's insecurity also becomes blatant. He brings in Brahmanandam to kick off entertainment which is not needed at all and it doesn't work, looks forced. It's disgusting to see characters relieving themselves in the rest room and some comedy being woven around it. Jai talking aloud looking into the mirror has been tried and tested before in various films and it doesn't look convincing at all or gel with his character.

Jai removing his footwear and walking on the grass is metaphorical, Chotu's (Ali) killing is also not offbeat, a fresh idea of bringing him onto revealing Jai's whereabouts could have added value to the story. Jhanvi (Anjali Lavania) has a fabulous height and her relationship with Jai has been etched well. She including Sarah Jane Dias bring in a fresh look and perspective to the entire story, Sara has a dreamy look but half-sarees quite don't suit her. Both the girls looked comfy in their part.

Sesh's Karma changes for the good with this film and he is quite a revelation, another example why good-looking men can't survive in this industry as heroes they are cursed to be villains. Sesh's and Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao's scene evokes and heighten's sympathy and Jhansi is very sweet in a coastal twang, shows her forte for her versatility in dialects. Subbaraju did well and looked menacing enough but his background and reason why his sister Jhanvi leaves the village to the city hasn't been established well and gets lost in the rivalry between Bhagwan and Kulkarni.

Pawan Kalyan's role lacked intensity, he was shown more as a real power manager whose job is to solve conflicts, appease his boss, keep away enemies and trouble. The fact that he is leading a life just to show gratitude to his boss is clearly evident and he underplayed the heroic element till the finale when he had to choose his girl over his boss, but then he had already decided to kill him and was waiting only for a reason.

If this point works well with the fans the movie could do well, but that there is no personal enmity between Jai and rest of the people and he is in the killing job and you got to like him for that reason..then it is entirely your call. Panjaa is not a great film but not a bad one either. The action could please his fans but the lack of entertainment could work as a deterrent. The comedy song isn't great but the story and the visual effects made it watchable.

Like in the song, Paparayudu (Brahmanandam) tells Jai to change his movement, Pawan Kalyan did just that. From a love story this is a complete shift.

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