Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi review: For final 20 minutes

What’s it about?

Vyjayanthi (Vijayashanthi) is an IPS officer, and her son Arjun (Kalyan Ram) follows in her footsteps and gets selected for the IPS. Ten days after he joins the training camp, he receives the news of his father’s death. Arjun returns to Vizag and learns that his father, a coastguard officer, was killed by a mafia gang after he tried to stop their smuggling operations.

One more incident pushes Arjun to become a gangster, leading to a fallout between mother and son.

While Vyjayanthi leads a retired life, Arjun embraces his rowdy path and lives with his wife Chitra (Saiee). But soon, Arjun comes to know that his mother’s life is under threat from dreaded criminal Pathaan (Sohail Khan). Why is Pathaan plotting to kill Vyjayanthi? How will Arjun protect his mother? 

Analysis

“Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi” is an action drama that revolves around the emotional bond between a mother and her son. The story of a mother, an upright police officer, and her son, a former cop turned rowdy, draws similarities to Akkineni Nagarjuna’s 1989 film “Vicky Dada.”

One of the most iconic roles in Vijayashanthi’s illustrious career was that of IPS officer Vyjayanthi in “Karthavyam” (1990), for which she also won the National Award for Best Actress. In this film, she reprises a similar character, and the title “Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi” clearly nods to her Karthavyam legacy. It feels as if the director envisioned a “what if” scenario — what if Vyjayanthi from Karthavyam became a mother facing a moral dilemma involving her own son?

But instead of weaving the screenplay in a more novel and engaging way, director Pradeep Chilukuri takes the easy route — the time-tested action formula. While the film begins with Vijayashanthi’s life as a police officer and gradually introduces Kalyan Ram’s character, establishing the core conflict between mother and son effectively, it soon stumbles. Much of the narrative follows a predictable, formulaic path until the penultimate moments.

The last twenty minutes are the film’s main asset, aside from the presence of Vijayashanthi and Kalyan Ram. The final act is well-crafted and delivers emotional weight.

Other than that, the film is a formulaic action drama, riddled with logic loopholes and overloaded with fight sequences.

Kalyan Ram delivers a solid performance that meets commercial expectations. Vijayashanthi still commands attention in her khaki uniform. Her screen presence and emotive performance lend gravitas to the drama. Her portrayal as a strong yet affectionate mother is the emotional core of the film.

Saiee Manjrekar has no real role — she’s just there, that’s it. Prudhvi and Rahman do justice to their parts. Srikanth plays a character that is crucial to the story. Bollywood actor Sohail Khan, in the antagonist’s role, goes overboard with an exaggerated performance.

Ajaneesh Loknath’s music — especially tracks like “Muchataga Bandhaale” and “Nayaldhi” — is passable. His background score aligns well with the film’s tone. The cinematography is sleek and polished, and the production values are impressive. However, the editing should have been sharper.

Bottom line: “Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi ” relies on final twenty minutes, which are good, and the presence of Vijayashanthi. The remaining portions are very formulaic and quite routine.

Rating: 2.75/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli

Movie: Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi 
Cast: Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Vijayashanthi, Saiee Manjrekar, Sohel Khan, Srikanth, and others
Screenplay: Srikanth Vissa
Music: Ajaneesh Loknath
DOP: Ram Prasad
Editor: Thammiraju
Action: Peter Hein, Ramakrishna, Ravi Varma
Producers: Ashok Vardhan Muppa, Sunil Balusu
Written and Directed by: Pradeep Chilukuri
Release Date: April 18, 2025