Popular music composer Ghantadi Krishna makes his directorial debut with Risk – A Game of Youth, which hit theatres today. Let’s see how it fares.
Story:
Karthik (Sandeep Ashwa) and his three friends survive by pulling off scams. Hoping to get close to former Miss India Sandali Arora (Zoya Zaveri), they pose as music video makers. However, their plan takes an unexpected turn when Sandali asks them to eliminate her husband, Pradeep Chakravarthy (Anish Kurivilla). Why does she want him dead? Do the four accept her offer? The answers unfold in the rest of the story.
Plus Points:
The premise may feel familiar, but it has enough scope to evolve into an engaging crime drama with the right treatment. Sandeep Ashwa delivers a passable performance, while Zoya Zaveri fits her glamorous role well.
Rajeev Kanakala brings some credibility to the proceedings, and his scenes with the youngsters are among the film’s better moments. On the musical front, Ghantadi Krishna fares much better as a composer than as a director, with a few songs leaving a decent impression.
Minus Points:
The biggest drawback is the film’s execution. Although the core idea has potential, the screenplay fails to generate intrigue or sustain momentum, resulting in a largely uninvolving narrative.
The first half is filled with loosely connected scenes that rely heavily on glamour rather than storytelling. While the second half shifts focus to the crime angle and introduces a few twists, weak execution prevents them from making any real impact.
Casting is another major issue. A crime drama demands convincing performances, but the lead cast struggles to make their characters believable. Even Sandeep Ashwa manages only a passable performance, while the rest fail to leave any impact. Their emotional scenes often miss the mark. For instance, when one of the youngsters is informed that his father has suffered a heart attack, his reaction feels unintentionally comical rather than emotional. Such moments repeatedly dilute the seriousness of the film. Sanya Thakur, meanwhile, has very little to contribute.
A few songs are pleasant to listen to, but their placement, especially the glamour numbers, interrupts the narrative instead of enhancing it.
Technical Aspects:
Ghantadi Krishna succeeds as a composer but falls short in his directorial debut. The writing lacks depth, preventing the film from realising its potential. Shiva Sharvani’s editing could have been much sharper, while Jagadeesh Komari’s cinematography is adequate. The production values are just about average.
Verdict:
On the whole, Risk – A Game of Youth is a poor crime drama that fails to make the most of its familiar premise. Weak performances, an underwhelming screenplay, and inconsistent execution outweigh its few positives. Apart from a handful of decent songs and Rajeev Kanakala’s presence, the film does little to keep audiences invested. This one is easy to give a miss.