What’s it about?
Vaasthu (Chaitanya Rao) and his lawyer friend Rag Mayur believe they have struck gold when they discover a softdrink bottle containing Keeda (cockroach). The lawyer decides to sue the corporation for Rs 5 crore. Jeevan (Jeevan), on the other hand, seeks the assistance of his recently released brother Naidu (Tharun Bhasker), who actually plants a cockroach in that bottle.
When Naidu’s gang, the lawyer’s gang, and the corporate company owner’s hired gang compete for dominance, chaos ensues.
Analysis
Tharun Bhascker’s “Keeda Cola” is a crime comedy with a wholly offbeat manner of narration and an appropriate amount of black humor.
With his first two blockbusters, Pelli Choopulu and Ee Nagariniki Emaindi, Tharun Bhascker won over audience comprised primarily of young people; the later film, however, was met with mixed reviews. After a lengthy hiatus, he returned to directing with a film that departs radically from his previous work.
The plot of “Keedaa Cola” reminded me of the crime comedies of the Coen brothers, in which one or two gangs try to hit the jackpot but have their plans foiled by random events and characters. The Coen brothers are known for creating works with outlandish plots and characters. It appears that Tharun Bhascker has made an effort to do the same, albeit in his own unique fashion.
The Naidu role, which the filmmaker played, is a perfect illustration of Tharun Bhascker’s talent as a writer. Naidu, freshly released from jail, commits crimes while philosophizing. He preaches nonmaterialism and an “inward journey” (lopaliki velli vachanu), but he acts strangely and even carries a gun. Brahmanandam plays a character who uses a wheelchair throughout the film. The seasoned comedian plays a role that is the only one who makes rational comments and provides some level of composure in an otherwise chaotic environment.
The story hardly counts here. The characters and the situations they find themselves in matter.
There are some stand out sequences…
1) The Poster Sequence by the corporator
2) Tharun’s gang and the Lawyer’s group making a deal
3)Vishnu Oi’s narration of flashback stories
4) When Tharun uses expletives, the scene changes to Vishnu listening to music on his Bluetooth headphones.
The film works best when it’s able to make subtle gags. The comedy (both real and dark humor) is its strongest suit.
The film provides laughs, but its narrative becomes tedious at times. In the penultimate moments, it begins to lose the tempo. Not to mention the fact that many situations and lines of dialogue are beyond the comprehension of the average viewer.
All the actors have done a terrific job, but special mention should be made of the work done by Tharun, Jeevan, Brahmanandam, and Vishnu. As a lawyer, Rag Mayur gets the job done. The antics of Chaitanya Rao’s character are amusing at first, but they soon start to grate. The way Raghu Ram is portrayed is in sync with the tone of the film.
The technical effort, especially the background soundtrack and editing by Vivek Sagar, is excellent.
Bototm-line: “Keedaa Cola” is a crime comedy with a whacky style of narration. It has zany characters, funny dialogue, and eccentric situations. This is a film that may not suit everyone’s tastes, but the attempt is unique in Telugu cinema.
Rating: 2.75/5
By Jalapathy Gudelli
Movie: Keedaa Cola
Cast: Dr.Brahmanandam, Chaitanya Rao Madadi, Tharun Bhascker, Rag Mayur, Vishnu Oi, Raghu Ram, Jeevan and others
Writers: Pranay Koppala, Ramya Kakumanu, Shanthan Raj
Music: Vivek Sagar
Cinematography: AJ Aaron
Art Director: Ashish Teja Pulala
Editor : Upendra Varma
Producers: K. Vivek Sudhanshu, Saikrishna Gadwal, Srinivas Kaushik Nanduri, Sripad Nandiraj and Upendra Varma
Presenter: Rana Daggubati
Written and Directed by: Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam
Release Date: Nov 03, 2023
