Mohanlal's Telugu film Manyam Puli, the dubbed version of his Malayalam movie Puli Murugan, was released in theatres on December 2 and has received good reviews and ratings from the critics.
Manyam Puli is about Puliyooru, a small village near a dense forest which is often troubled by tigers. Kumar (Mohanlal) is a truck driver, who has got the skills to fight against the tigers. However, Kumar is forced to leave the village after he gets engrossed in a drug case. What happens to his villagers form the rest of the story. Director Vysakh has written the story for the movie.
The critics say that Manyam Puli has a routine story, which predictable, but the director has made it an interesting watch with his amazing screenplay. The proceedings are engaging in the first half and the scenes before interval create curiosity. But the second half falls flat with its dull narration.
Superstar Mohanlal has delivered superb performance, which is the highlight of Manyam Puli. Kamalini Mukherjee and Jagapati Babu have also done justice to their roles and they are big assets of the movie. Produced by Krishna Reddy, the film has good production values and Shaji Kumar's beautiful picturisation and Gopi Sundar's electrifying background score are the attractions on the technical front, add the critics.
We bring you some critics' verdict and ratings for the film. Continue to see them in Manyam Puli review roundup:
First Post Ratings: 2.5
Manyam Puli is an action-packed mass entertainer with a universal theme of man vs wild. Mohanlal's action (sequences) and Jagapathi Babu's performance are the keys to the movie's success. This is a treat for those who love action films, and for Mohanlal fans. Peter Hein's work is another major asset.
Times of India Ratings: 3.5
Though the plot is nothing new, it's well presented with the editing department making the 161-minute runtime a breeze.
India Glitz Ratings: 3
Manyam Puli is an action adventure with a splendid performance by Mohanlal, an excellent action choreography (Peter Hein) and nice music (Gopi Sundar). Some of the episodes smack of old-style story-telling, but that's OK. Although the film descends into the zone of the formula in the second half, it's not a big minus.
123 Telugu Ratings: 3
Manyam Puli worked mainly in Malayalam because of some stunning thrills and Mohan Lal's massy act which is at its peak here. But from the Telugu audience point of view, this film can be only watched for some amazing thrills which are placed at regular intervals. Having said that, one should go in well prepared to bear the rest of the routine drama which lacks nativity and can get you at times.
Gulte Ratings:
The film's run time is too long, which is one of its weak elements. There is scope for trimming in the second half. In spite of a few glitches, Manyam Puli still works for its thrilling premise, brilliant technical values and spotless performance of Mohan Lal. It is a must watch for the masses and action movie lovers.
