`Sevakudu` review: All style, no substance

Call it passé or simply lazy film making at its best, but all that ‘Sevakudu’ manages at the end of the film is present you with a rehash of several Telugu films released over the years. Despite Srikanth`s dignified performance, the film fails to evoke interest due to its uninspiring story.

When a head constable fails miserably in his attempt to correct the corrupt police department, he swears to prepare his son to take up the challenge. He raises his son with the sole intention of making him a police officer such that he could bring about a change in the police system and in turn, in the society. How does the son mend a corrupt police force and society? This forms the rest of the story. To assume the audience will embrace a theme that has been milked dry, is sheer thoughtlessness of the director. And to present a cornier story is even more irresponsible and proves the lack of passion of the entire team behind this project. What begins as a clichéd story gets even more boring thanks to multiple sub-plots and an unneeded love angle. Had only the director stuck to the crux of the plot - a young man`s fight to make a corrupt-free police department, I suppose the film would`ve left an impact. But, sadly the story deviates from its chosen path and struggles to convey what it was supposed to deliver at the first place. Moreover, no matter how clichéd the story of a film could be, but if presented differently, it is sure to draw some attention. If you were to take scenes from Telugu films such as ‘Bobbli Pulli’ and ‘Tagore’, then one could easily make his or her own version of ‘Sevakudu’. Director Samudra hardly seems to have put in any effort to breathe life into the film. All that he manages to do in this movie is pack it with lots of action sequences, a romantic angle involving a glamorous heroine, few songs and pages of highly emotional patriotic dialogues. Since Srikanth plays the lead, bestowed upon with the opportunity to save the police system, he has a lot to offer and he succeeds in it. Charmi doesn`t quite have much to do as an actress because her role is mostly a sleaze fest. Comedy falls short of evoking any laughter, let alone entertain. Technically too, ‘Sevakudu’ has very little too impress, while its music is passable. The direction lacks a sense of responsibility and vigour, and therefore fails to leave a lasting impact on the audiences. IANS Rating 1.5/ By Haricharan Pudipeddi