The title credits roll amid whistles and cheers. Then you see a little of him; the camera moves slowly, first bringing his right eye into view, then the left and zooms out a wee bit to reveal a gun pointed at his forehead. He’s almost teary-eyed and blood trickles down his forehead. By now, the cheers and whistles get louder. This isn’t a single screen and the actor isn’t known to play ‘mass’ roles.
Nani, with five successful films in a row and the reputation of being a consummate actor with a guy-next-door image, is on the verge of a second hat trick. This vehicle, directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, puts him in a slightly massy avatar. He’s still the guy next door, but he’s gotten street smart.
Nenu Local is the kind of film that’s likely to emerge when Nakkina, whose previous film Cinema Choopista Maava that pitched an annoying, almost crude wastrel against an anxious father watch with disbelief his daughter falling for him, gets a lot more refined when an actor like Nani is on board.
This hero (Babu, played by Nani) of Nakkina too, is a yedhava (wastrel). He’s so hopeless that the invigilator (Sachin Khedekar) lets him copy in the exam hall so that he’d pass and get out of the college.
When Khedekar tells Babu he hopes he never meets him again, you know the rest of the story. Babu chances upon Khedekar’s daughter Keerthy (Keerthy Suresh), joins the same institute where she studies MBA to woo her. As an aside, there are hilarious portions of how Babu convinces his parents, played by Posani Krishna Murali and Easwari Rao, to allow him to study MBA and eventually also win the girl.
The point of conflict is predictable. Keerthy doesn’t want to upset her father and wishes that Babu would prove his worth and score over the suitor (Naveen Chandra) her father approves of.
It’s a tale that’s been narrated over and over. The witty repartee between Nani and his lecturers and among friends maintains the fun momentum. The lines, thankfully, don’t get offensive. In fact, Nenu Local rides heavily on Nani’s ability to give his all to a character he takes up. The actor pulls off a neat portrayal and proves again that he’s a combination of charisma and talent. Despite the massy flavour that’s enhanced by Devi Sri Prasad’s music, the film still manages not to coat the hero with a larger-than-life star aura. Therein lies its appeal.
There isn’t much of a character arc for any of the principal players. They are content being the way they are, giving vent to their frustration and helplessness occasionally. Keerthy Suresh is pleasing and does her part well. If only her character was etched better. Naveen Chandra is wasted.
While some of the crackling humour keeps you in splits, the wafer-thin storyline is a downer. Also, isn’t it time to think beyond narratives of a ‘wastrel hero with a heart of gold’ relentlessly wooing the girl? On many occasions, you’d wonder why a girl would choose a guy who has little else apart from street smartness and a funny bone. In a scene where he takes her to his house for an impromptu meal with his parents, he shows her that little things matter. Well, but wouldn’t you root for the hero even more if he put in some effort to make himself worthwhile?
Nenu Local
Cast : Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Naveen Chandra
Direction : Trinadha Rao Nakkina
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
