Tollywood actor Ravi Teja's "Balupu" has won positive reviews from critics, despite the film being termed as a stereotypical  pot boiler.

Directed by Gopichand Malineni, "Balupu" is a commercial cinema which has all the key elements that one would expect from a Ravi Teja film - action, punch dialogues, romance, comedy and songs.

Ravi (Ravi Teja) is a bank recovery agent and lives with his father Prakash Raj. His father wants Ravi to get married and is on the lookout for a bride. On the other hand, heroine Shruti (Shruti Haasan) and her uncle Crazy Mohan (Brahmanandam) victimise teenage guys in the name of love.

Ravi Teja's friend (played by Rajesh) is one of Shruti's victims. Ravi wants to avenge for his friend's loss of money and plans to dupe the duo. In the process, Shruti and Ravi fall in love with each other. Shruti is already engaged to Sesh Adivi. But Shruti's father played by Nassar agrees to get her married to Ravi.

In parallel track, Poorna (Ashutosh Rana) is on the hunt for two people named Shankar and Nanaji. With the entry of Poorna, shocking truths about Ravi and his father are revealed. The father-son duo has a violent past. The second half of the film takes us to the flashback scenes which also involves Anjali. What is the truth about the Ravi and his father? What role does Anjali have? All these are answered as the film progresses towards the end.

Here is what the critics have to say

Karthik Pasupulate of The Times of India says, "The movie does manage to dish out plenty of entertainment, even if it is of the lame and slapstick variety. You wouldn't go to a Ravi Teja movie expecting too much more. The movie manages to live up to the expectations, which seem to have slipped considerably after a spate of the actors recent movies which were well below par."

On the performances of the film's cast, Radhika Rajamani of Rediff.com, "For Ravi Teja, such roles are a cakewalk. In Balupu, he sails through effortlessly yet again but in a more subdued manner. Comedy is his forte but he has excelled in action too."

"Prakash Raj too plays a role that is easy for an actor like him. Brahmanandam tickles the funny bone quite a bit as Crazy Mohan. Shruti Haasan ups the oomph factor with her stylish costumes and has given a good performance."

According to Telugucinema.com, "The first half of the film completely focuses on good comedy. In the second half it is action. Director Gopichand Malineni has strived to strike a perfect combination of all elements for a good film. His effort would have yielded results, if he had a strong script in hand. Dialogues are good."

Accoridng to Indiaglitz.com, "Ravi Teja has finally wriggled himself out of the sleepwalking mode to deliver a dekko, true to his Mass Maharaja image (though not as crazy as his Vikramarkudu act).  He gets to show three variations, and the true blue 'balupu' avatar is the best of them all."

Verdict: Action entertainer with a good dose of comedy.