Lenin Review: A familiar revenge drama with twists

What’s “Lenin” About?

Set in 1991, the story unfolds in the village of Ramapuram in Chittoor district, where the annual Draupadi Jathara is celebrated with great fervor. Lenin (Akhil), an orphan, is raised by the wealthy Jayanthi (Easwari Rao) alongside her biological son, Vasanth (Pramod).

Lenin falls in love with Bharathi (Bhagyashri Borse), the daughter of Jayanthi’s relative. Meanwhile, Bharathi’s elder sister is engaged to Vasanth. However, just a day before the wedding, she elopes. To save the family’s honor, Bharathi’s father (Ramki) offers Bharathi’s hand in marriage to Vasanth instead.

On the wedding day, Bharathi shocks everyone present there by revealing that she is in love with Lenin. In an unexpected turn, Vasanth steps aside and gets the two lovers married.

But nothing is as straightforward as it appears. Hidden motives, betrayals, and unexpected twists gradually unfold, changing the lives of everyone involved.

Analysis

Murali Kishor Abburu, who earlier directed “Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha” set in Tirupati, once again chooses the Chittoor region as the backdrop for “Lenin.” While “Pushpa” introduced audiences to the Gangamma Jathara, Murali Kishor explores another lesser-known local tradition – the Draupadi Jathara – to lend a distinct flavor to an otherwise familiar revenge drama.

Most Telugu commercial films today rely less on original stories and more on creating a fresh backdrop, period setting, and immersive world. Murali Kishor follows the same approach. He introduces the custom of people in Chittoor worshipping Draupadi from the Mahabharata and celebrating a 12-day Jathara in her name. One of the central beliefs in the village is that no blood should be spilled on its soil. This belief becomes the foundation for the revenge drama and gives the film a unique identity.

The director also peppers the narrative with references to the Mahabharata. According to one legend, after the Kurukshetra war, only Dharmaraju and a dog remained. Hence, “Lenin” begins with Akhil’s character accompanied by a dog. The reason behind it is revealed only towards the end.

At its core, however, “Lenin” is a straightforward revenge drama. A man seeks vengeance against those responsible for destroying his family. The identity of the victims and the culprits is revealed gradually through multiple twists and layered narration.

Despite these twists, the film never completely escapes comparisons with films like Pushpa, Rangasthalam, Balakrishna’s Krishna Babu, and even the Japanese classic Zatoichi. Several situations and narrative devices feel familiar. Murali Kishor mixes these influences to package a reasonably engaging commercial entertainer.

The film takes its own time to settle. The first half moves at a leisurely pace and lacks major highs. However, the pre-interval sequence and the twist that follows significantly improve the proceedings. From there, the film keeps unveiling one twist after another. Most of them are engaging enough to hold interest, even though a few feel overly convenient. While some supporting characters are not fleshed out properly, the second half remains watchable, helped considerably by Thaman’s energetic background score.

Akhil Akkineni delivers a restrained performance in his seventh film. He lets the story take precedence and avoids unnecessary heroics for most of the runtime. His major heroic moments arrive only in the climax. Though there is still room for improvement in terms of acting, this is one of his more convincing performances. Bhagyashri Borse looks gorgeous and gets a role that is central to the story. While the romance doesn’t evoke much emotion, she performs well in the latter half. Among the supporting cast, Kannada actor Pramod leaves a strong impression as Vasanth.

On the technical front, Thaman’s background score stands out. Leon Britto’s cinematography effectively captures the rustic setting, and the production design convincingly recreates the period backdrop.

Bottom-line: Akhil Akkineni starrer “Lenin” is a familiar revenge drama that banks on a series of twists in the latter half. While it suffers from predictable storytelling and convenient writing in places, the engaging second half makes it an okay watch.

Rating: 2.75/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli