Director G Ashok's Telugu movie Chitrangada featuring actress Anjali in the lead role, has been released in theatres on March 10. The film has failed to impressed the critics
Chitra (Anjali) is an assistant professor, who lives in a working women's hostel. She starts sexually harassing her hostel mates, who start vacating the hostel in fear. Chitra learns that a deadly dream, where she sees a man getting killed by a lady, is responsible for her weird behaviour. She finds out the murder spot in the US and decides to go there. How she solves the mystery forms the rest of the story.
The critics say Chitrangada has a fresh and strong story, is inspired from a novel, which deals with a true story. But the director has spoilt the film with his mediocre execution. He has tried to drag a simple entertaining thriller to 2.20 hours. The movie has a slow-paced narration, which tests the patience of the audience. However, the film is very entertaining in the last 25 minutes.
Anjali has got a good role in this female-centric movie and she has done justice to her role. She has tried her best to carry the film on her shoulders with her brilliant performance, but her efforts fail due to lacklustre screenplay. Jaya Prakash, Arjuna Bajwa and Sindhu Tolani have also done their best in the film, say the critics.
Chitrangada has good production values and V Selvaganesh's background score and Bal Reddy's cinematography are the attractions on the technical front, add the critics. The movie has been rated an average 2.5 out 5 stars. Continue to see some critics' verdict and ratings in Chitrangada movie review roundup:
India Glitz Rating: 2.5
The thriller entertains in the last leg. The characterizations are weak. Slow pace adds to the woes. Technical elements go for a toss.
123 Telugu Rating: 2.5
Chitrangada is a film with a good script and disappointing execution. A simple and entertaining plot is dragged to no extent making the proceedings quite lethargic. Anjali tries hard to save the film with her one man show but the lacklustre direction takes the film nowhere and makes it a below average fare this weekend.
Chitramala Rating: 2.5
It's completely a one-woman show of Anjali in the movie. Anjali is perfect in the character of Chitrangada aka Chitra who is a psychology professor in a college. The story line is impressive. The introduction and elaboration on the paranormal activity kind of stuff and the lead protagonist heading towards the US to unravel the mystery behind her experiences have been presented nicely in the movie. The film has a total run time of 2.25 hours which could be chopped off a bit. The movie has its share of good and dull moments, but the comedy worked out at the right times. Both Sapthagiri and Sudigali Sudheer have impressed big time. The exciting, as well as thrilling aspects and also the comic elements, were well mixed into the film's flow. The narration could also have been a bit different. On a whole, Chitrangadha is an interesting thriller with some nice comic moments. A One time watch.
