‘Sodara’ Movie Review: Wherever Sampoornesh Babu, better known for his wacky outfit and spoof films, is found on screen, one tends to expect comedy and exaggeration typically. Having gone off the boards, his newest venture, Sodara, has come through, leaving his fans in doubt. Does the movie live up to the hype? Let’s find out.
Based in a small village in Telangana, Sodara revolves around two brothers Pawan (Sanjosh) and Chiranjeevi (Sampoornesh Babu). When care for family is provided by Chiru with his soda shop, he gets the same affection and love from his brother. Cunning strikes when Divi (Aarthi Gupta), who is an new entrant at their household, captures both the brothers’ hearts.
Chiru, smitten to the hilt, proposes to Divi and is rejected. Pawan’s timely arrival in sending Chiru packing adds an emotional depth to the story with a secret background story that unravels. What follows explores family bonds and sacrifices with some hint of drama and wit.
Known for his satirical approach to filmmaking, Sampoornesh Babu ventures out of his comfort zone in Sodara by laying more emphasis on emotional narration. Though the effort is good, the movie leaves its mundane aspect behind only partially.
The initial half does drag, especially with college sequences that are not very interesting. But the mid-season plot twist is a relief surprise, which revives the spark. The second half includes situational comedy and a grand climax twist, which rescues the draggy sequences. Owing to some technical shortcomings like hurried dubbing and uneven usage of slang, the film manages to provide light-hearted entertainment.
Sampoornesh Babu’s sincere attempt to venture into emotional depth can be seen, although remnants of his signature comedy remain. Sanjosh is a tolerable on-screen presence as the younger brother, while Aarthi Gupta makes an impression with her natural beauty. Prachi Bansal contributes her looks and performs adequately.
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Direction by Man Mohan Menampally is good, with the interval and climax turns being the highlights. Music by Sunil Kashyap is according to the story but does not make an impression. Production values make the film look neat despite the low-key setting.
While Sodara follows a familiar path, it is an okay one-time movie, particularly for Sampoornesh Babu fans. The combination of comedy, emotional subtext, and interesting twists makes it an okay entertainer.
Rating: 2.5/5
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