Sahasam (2013) Telugu Movie Review

Sahasam (2013) Telugu Movie Review

Rating : 3.25/5.

Release date : 12 July 2013

Director : Chandra Sekhar Yeleti C

Producer : BVSN Prasad

Music Director : Sri

Starring : Gopichand, Taapsee Pannu

Gopichand and Chandrasekhar Yeleti have teamed up for the adventure flick ‘Sahasam’. The movie is gearing up for a big release tomorrow. We have been to an exclusive premiere at Prasad Labs and we are now bringing you the first review of the film. How good is ‘Sahasam’ ? Read on to find out.

Story :

Goutham (Gopichand) works as a guard in a private security agency. His ambition in life is to become very rich, very fast.Goutham keeps buying lottery tickets and consults babas in order to achieve his goals. He keeps getting disappointed with the results and curses his luck. But fate has other ideas for him.

Goutham realises that his grandfather Varma (Suman) is a very wealthy man. Varma used to run a prosperous diamond trading business in Peshawar, before the partition. Goutham comes across a will that describes the riches left by Varma for his successors. Unfortunately, the riches are in Pakistan and they are tied to the legendary Hinglaj Devi temple.

Armed with his grandfather’s will and artefacts, Goutham sets out to Pakistan in order to claim his riches. He seeks the help of Sreenidhi (Tapsee), who is an advocate of Hindu religion and its greatness. But Goutham’s journey is not easy. He realises that some dreaded Pakistani terrorists, headed by Sultan (Shakti Kapoor), are after the same property. The stakes are much bigger and the treasure hunt now involves as fabulous horde belonging to the Kanishka empire.

Will Goutham succeed in claiming the riches that belong to him? That forms the rest of the story.

Plus Points :

• Gopichand excels in the role of Goutham. He is very good in the action sequences and his body language is perfect for that role. 
• Tapsee is quite good in this film as a devout and slightly naive young woman. Ali entertains to a certain extent as Khayamat Raju.
• Shakti Kapoor is simply brilliant as the evil terrorist Sultan. His transformation and performance are very authentic. Narayana Murthy is ok as Gopichand’s father. Suman has a brief role and he has done a good job.
• The film’s theme and story are quite novel for Telugu cinema. Chandrasekhar Yeleti must be commended for handling the project in a very competent way. 
• The visuals are very grand and Ladakh has been captured quite majestically. Pakistani ambience has been recreated quite successfully and authentically.
• The treasure hunt, the intricate clues that lead to it and the special effects are quite thrilling. Fans of films like National Treasure, Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones will enjoy this movie.
• The film’s action sequences deserve special mention. They have been choreographed quite realistically. The gun fights and the car chases are good. The interval and climax episodes have been conceived quite nicely.

Minus Points :

• Some cinematic liberties have been taken. For example, a Hyderabadi security guard manages to sneak into the residence of a dreaded Pakistani terrorist with absolute ease and impunity. The emotional intensity in the film keeps dipping at times.
• Ali’s comedy track should have been more substantial. Masses in B and C centers might find it tough to connect with the film as commercial elements like comedy and glamour are missing from the film.
• The much hyped Buzkashi episode is not as great as one would expect.
• Technical Aspects :
• Shyam Dutt’s cinematography is a major asset for the movie. His work has given the film a very sophisticated feel. Art direction is excellent. Sri’s background score is pretty good and he has delivered nicely. Editing is neat.
• Chandrasekhar Yeleti has succeeded in delivering a technically superior adventure flick. Given the budget constraints, he has done a commendable job. He should have taken some care about the entertainment quotient in the film.

Verdict :

‘Sahasam’ is not your average Telugu cinema. The plot, the setting and the execution are very fresh and novel. Brilliant cinematography, nice action sequences and some thrilling moments are big assets for the movie. On the flip side, lack of traditional ‘commercial elements’ might hamper the film in B and C centers. You can safely watch ‘Sahasam’ for some desi ‘Indiana Jones’ moments.