What Is the Story About?
Abhiram (Raamz) is a gambling addict and liar who lands himself in trouble with a local casino running goon RK (Ravi Varma). Things escalate to such a level due to his careless ways that he needs to pay twenty-five lakhs in three days to RK to save his life.
Avanthi, meanwhile, is looking out for his missing brother in darker places following the trails. How the two, Abhiram and Avanthi, get connected? Is there a way out for Abhiram? Where does Avanthi’s search lead her to comprise the movie’s overall plot.
Performances?
Raamz plays the lead role of Abhiram in Pachchis. He looks adequate for the part and does decently. The depth in the acting is missing, but care is taken in the presentation, and Raamz does enough at surface level to keep things palpable and not entirely be a misfit.
Analysis
Sri Krishna and Rama Sai direct Pachchis, set in the backdrop of political and police mafia. It deals with the theme of undercover cops and moles. It is not a refreshing story, but the director’s duo tries their best to impart such a feel.
Right from the first frame, what catches the attention of the viewer is the gripping quality. Several people have tried to execute similar scenes but failed in getting the required tension. We get that here.
Once Pachchis grabs our attention, it moves on a decent path narratively. Three individual subplots are introduced with multiple actors. But, unfortunately, it all looks confusing and overdrawn.
A great deal of attention is required to follow what appears to be a simple and straightforward story. It is this muddled quality that crops up from time to time where Pachchis loses interest. The slow pace doesn’t help the cause, either.
A decent stretch is followed by boring and un-engaging block. Sometimes there is a build-up for a big bang, but nothing of that sorts happen. And yet, the few individual sequences do hold up our attention during the process. It is the ‘success’ as far as the direction is considered.
Among the two halves, the first half is less muddy and hence more engaging. The actual content and twist lie in the second half, but it is confusing and bores. A clear cut narrative would have helped Pachcis go a long way.
The ending lands, but it also comes with confusion. When you have ‘why?’ pop up in your mind instantly at some actions, you know something is not correct. This lingering nagging feeling is the biggest undoing of Pachchis. It all makes sense in the end and also makes one realise how simple the plot was eventually.
Overall, Pachchis is a slow-paced crime drama made with an urban and trendy sensibility seen in other languages movies. The muddled narrative plays the spoilsport, but it still makes for a decent one-time watch if you love the genre.
Other Artists?
Pachchis has many actors doing bits and pieces roles. They complete the overall picture, which means each small part is necessary. However, they are painted with the same brush, as in, everyone feels the same concerning their acts. A common memo seems to be given to all of them. It makes Ravi Varma stand out among the crowd with his timing and understated fun. It is the best role he has got in recent times. Swetaa Varma is alright as she grows in strength. Subhalekha Sudhakar is enjoying this phase as an actor with varied choices. His voice is proving to be a great asset. The rest of the actors are also decent in their minor roles.
Music and Other Departments?
The background score by Smaran Sai is good. However, it hasn’t been neatly fused into the narrative. It is off at times which gives a jarring feeling. The cinematography by Karthik Parmar is fine for a low-budget production. Some night shots are excellently captured. The editing by Rana Prathap could have been better. It gives a chaotic feeling despite such a slow pace. The writing is decent.
Highlights?
Few Gripping Sequences
First Half
Overall Story
Drawbacks?
Muddled Narrative
Uneven Pacing
Too Many Characters
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, With Little Reservation
Pachchis Telugu Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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