Lenin is the latest film starring Akhil Akkineni, arriving after a hiatus of three years. Directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, Lenin stars Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead and arrived in theatres today amid decent expectations. Here’s how the film fares.
Story:
Set in 1989 in Sri Ramapuram, Chittoor, Lenin (Akhil Akkineni) is an orphan raised by Jayanthi (Eashwari Rao) alongside her son Vasanth (Pramod Panju), a doctor. During the annual Bharatam Mitta celebrations, Lenin falls in love with Bharathi (Bhagyashri Borse), who reciprocates his feelings. Just when everything seems to be going his way, Lenin uncovers shocking truths about the people closest to him, forcing him to turn against them. What are those shocking truths, and why do his loved ones turn against him? The answers unfold on the big screen.
Plus Points:
Lenin is undoubtedly one of the finest outings in Akhil’s career. Not only does it mark a strong comeback for Akhil, but it also gives him the commercial entertainer he has long been waiting for. He makes the most of the opportunity with a commendable performance. Be it the emotional moments or the action sequences, Akhil delivers with confidence.
Bhagyashri Borse plays a pivotal role, with much of the story revolving around her character. She looks beautiful on screen and delivers an energetic performance. Her chemistry with Akhil works well, making the romantic track enjoyable.
Pramod Panju turns out to be one of the film’s biggest surprises. His character remains under wraps until the second half, making the reveal all the more effective. He delivers an impressive performance, establishing himself as a promising villain.
Sivaji delivers a solid performance as the grey-shaded Yathiraju, while Eashwari Rao is equally effective in her role. The rest of the supporting cast lends good support.
Thaman’s background score effectively elevates the emotional and action-packed moments. The pre-interval and interval blocks, a couple of well-executed twists, and the climax stand out as the film’s biggest highlights.
Minus Points:
The narrative becomes fairly predictable as the characters gradually reveal their true intentions. While the core writing is decent, a tighter screenplay and sharper pacing would have made the film far more engaging.
The songs are good on their own, but a film like this doesn’t need so many. Their placement slows the narrative and affects the overall pace.
Akhil has certainly improved as an actor and delivers a sincere performance. However, there is still room for improvement in a few emotional scenes. Characters such as the MLA, along with Shatru and Brahmaji, could have been given more screen time and stronger characterization.
Technical Aspects:
Murali Kishor Abburu succeeds in presenting Akhil in a solid commercial role. While the story works well, the screenplay could have been sharper to make several scenes more gripping. Even so, he succeeds in delivering a fairly engaging commercial entertainer.
Thaman delivers exactly what the film demands with a rousing background score that complements the narrative well. Leon Britto’s cinematography is decent, while Navin Nooli’s editing could have been crisper by trimming a few scenes. The production values are impressive throughout.
Verdict:
On the whole, Lenin is a decent commercial revenge drama that gives Akhil the commercial outing he has long been waiting for. Akhil’s performance, Bhagyashri Borse’s screen presence, Thaman’s rousing score, and a couple of well-executed twists work in the film’s favour. On the flip side, a few underdeveloped characters, a slightly lengthy runtime, unnecessary songs, and a somewhat predictable plot hold it back. Despite its shortcomings, Lenin emerges as a passable commercial entertainer that makes for a decent weekend watch.