Lenin:
Cast: Akhil Akkineni, Bhagyashri Borse, Shivaji, Eeshwari Rao, Pramod Panju
Writer & Director: Murali Kishor Abburu
Producers: Akkineni Nagarjuna, Suryadevara Naga Vamsi
Cinematography: Leon Britto
Editing: Naveen Nooli
OTT Platform: ZEE5
Lenin is now on ZEE5 after being in theaters. This movie shows Akhil Akkineni in a way as a rugged man from a village for the first time. The film has village politics, friendship, revenge and emotional drama all set against the backdrop of the Bharatham Metta festival. So is it worth watching on OTT? Here is what I think.
Story
The story happens in the village of Sriramapuram in Chittoor district. Lenin, played by Akhil Akkineni is an orphan who comes to the village with no food or home. A good family takes him in. He grows up with Vasanth played by Pramod Panju, who becomes his best friend.
Lenin works hard to organize the villages 18-day Bharatham Metta festival and falls in love with Bharathi played by Bhagyashri Borse. When Vasanth comes back as a doctor he helps Lenin and Bharathi get married.. Something unexpected happens during the festival and Lenin goes to jail.
What happened that put Lenin in jail? Who did it? What happens when Lenin gets out? How far will Vasanth go to help his friend? The rest of the movie answers these questions.
Review
Lenin is a rural action drama that takes ideas from the Mahabharata and is about loyalty, betrayal, love, revenge and honor. The real-life Bharatham Metta festival makes the movie feel real. Gives it a unique cultural touch.
The movie starts strong with Jr. NTRs voice introducing the festival. It gets your attention right away. But the first half is not that great it feels like commercial movies. The romance and some village scenes feel like you have seen them before. They are not that exciting.
The story gets better before the interval, when the big twists start to happen. The second half is more exciting with conflicts, betrayals and unexpected character changes that move the story forward. The end is suspenseful. Has a satisfying dramatic payoff.
Even though the screenplay is not always new the exciting twists and emotional stakes in the half make up for the slow first half.
Performances
Akhil Akkineni does a job, probably the best of his career. He moves away from his city roles and becomes a believable village youth. His emotional scenes and action sequences show that he has grown as an actor.
Bhagyashri Borse does well in her role. Her character could have been more detailed.
The supporting actors, like Eeshwari Rao and Pramod Panju are very good. Pramod Panjus character is as interesting as the character in some scenes. Shivaji is also great in a supporting role and the rest of the actors do a good job too.
Technical Aspects
Leon Brittos cinematography is beautiful it captures the village landscapes and festival atmosphere perfectly. The background score by Thaman is one of the movies strengths it makes some key moments even better. Naveen Noolis editing and the production design are polished making the movie look rich and visually appealing.
Director Murali Kishor Abburu did a job making a big story with interesting twists. But if the emotional writing was stronger and the first half was tighter the movie would have been even better.
What Works
* The twists in the second half
* Akhil Akkinenis great performance
* The strong background score
* The authentic rural setting and festival backdrop
What Doesn’t
* The slow and predictable first half
* The familiar commercial storytelling in some parts
* Some supporting characters lack emotional depth
Verdict
Lenin is now on ZEE5 and it is a good rural action drama that will keep you engaged in the second half with a great performance, from Akhil Akkineni. Even though the movie starts slow the emotional payoff, strong performances and effective climax make it worth watching for fans of commercial village dramas.
Rating: 3/5
