Shamanthakamani: The boys pack a punch

The film’s strength is not its story but the quirky characterisations

Sudheer Babu, Nara Rohit, Sundeep Kishan and Aadhi

Four characters, one wild party at a five-star hotel and a drama that surrounds a stolen car that’s worth ₹ 5 crores; Shamanthakamani has all the ideal ingredients to cook up a juicy premise for a heist comedy. Good thing is, the film makes the best use of them all. After Bhale Manchi Roju, Sriram Aditya yet again proves he means business in packaging a wily mix of crime, thriller and humour elements into one film.

Most of the characters in Shamanthakamani behave like underdogs, have shades of grey and come with distinct backstories. The satirical tone in which the narrative proceeds ensure they’re not heroes but just protagonists who drive the plot forward. Sridevi while eloping with her boyfriend Shiva (Sundeep Kishan) asks him about an unnecessary high jump he makes during a chase-to which he responds, “ Hero introduction scene ki anthanna cheyali” . That’s precisely the way the director approaches his other subplots too — about Krishna (Sudheer Babu), Uma Maheshwar Rao (Rajendra Prasad) and Karthik (Aadhi).

Apart from the humorous undertone,

Shamanthakamani scores by virtue of the significance it attaches to its emotional threads. The sequence where Bhanumati (Indraja) explains to Uma Maheshwar Rao (Rajendra Prasad in a character true to his age) the reason behind her love for films is proof-that she’s drawn by it’s rosy pictures unlike her life that's gone downhill post marriage. Equally effective is the role of Krishna and his love for his mom, though a cop jokes about him ‘

maataku mundu o amma, maataku tarvata o amma ’; Sudheer Babu shows he’s come a long away as an actor.

The plot seems fairly complicated on a certain level and Sriram tries too hard to simplify it.

Shamanthakamani as a non-linear narrative coasts along as long as it sticks to the journey of the characters, the shakiness shows when the mysteries are unravelled. It’s not a revelation that you can smell from a certain distance, yet you end up feeling the director could have done better.

What stays in your mind long after the movie ends are the quirks of the characters and their humorous streaks-the smallest parts too have a unique identity. Tanikella Bharani, as an astrologer who keeps suggesting one gemstone after the other to his clients, places one brick in a hand to one of his customers (who complains of ill luck) and says “ Ee raayi netthikesi kottuko, appatiki gaani nee adrushtam maradu .”

Though the men dominate the show and there are occasional lines like ‘

ee ammailavalle mana kurralakantha problems bro ’ besides the drunken rantings of Aadhi, they are neither indulgent nor chauvinistic.

It’s refreshing to see Sundeep Kishan, Nara Rohit, Aadi and Sudheer break away from the romance--song-fight routine and surrender themselves to a story. Chandini Chowdary, Suman, Kasturi and Hema sparkle in brief roles. Shamanthakamani is helped by Mani Sharma’s music score, but it’s Sriram Aditya (also the dialogue writer) who steals the show.

Shamanthakamani

Cast: Aadhi, Rajendra Prasad, Nara Rohit, Sudheer Babu, Sundeep Kishan

Storyline: A no-holds barred hunt is on for a five-crore worth car

Director: Sriram Aditya

Music : Mani Sharma