Set in present-day Hyderabad, ‘Simbaa’ tells the story of an environmentalist’s mission facing a violent pushback from vested interests. Partha (Kabir Duhan Singh) plays a rich pharmaceutical tycoon whose acolytes get killed one after another at the hands of totally unsuspicious, otherwise law-abiding individuals. A well-meaning, pacifist school teacher named Aksha (Anasuya Bharadwaj), an investigative journalist named Fazil (Srinath Maganti) and a world-renowned neurosurgeon named Dr Irani (Anish Kuruvilla) are connected to the whole mess unfolding in broad daylight.
Who is the actual killer and what are his/her motives? What is the backstory involving Partha and the murderer? Who is Purushottam Reddy (Jagapathi Babu), a character inspired by real-life green warriors? That’s what the second half of ‘Simbaa’ is about.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Performances:
- Anasuya Bharadwaj, Srinath Maganti: They make their otherwise grounded characters look too sophisticated and non-relatable. Anasuya should have looked vulnerable instead of outright melodramatic.
- Jagapathi Babu: As a brawny environmentalist, his character is cinematic. The senior actor is not nuanced.
- Vasista Simha: He plays a cop who is always on his toes. The Kannada actor does his part well.
- Kabir Duhan Singh: Seen as a cardboard villain, he is routine and behaves like a gangster.
- Gautami Tadimella and others: None of the secondary characters add any value.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Technical Output:
- Krishna Saurabh’s music is unremarkable. The background score should have been sublime in the scenes involving Jagapathi Babu’s character. The dated treatment leaves the composer little room for that.
- Krishna Prasad’s cinematography is below average. The lack of budgetary enhancement shows.
- Rajeev Nair’s production design is virtually absent. It’s baffling that filmmakers are casually tossing around terms like ‘production design’. This supernatural crime thriller deserved a far more visually compelling look.
- Tammiraju’s editing is average.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Merits:
‘Simbaa’ has its heart in the right place although the issue of environmental health has been over-simplified. The nexus between corporates and politicians has been touched upon.
The scene where the Green Hero of the film talks about the formation of ‘smog’ after a terrible tragedy is effective. Had there been no shaming of ordinary folks who want to come out of poverty in a third-world country like India, ‘Simbaa’ would have been worthy of respect for wanting to get its message across with force.
Director Murali Manohar Reddy makes sure that the ‘Janatha Garage’ template is not misused. Had the detailing and the characterizations been evolved, ‘Simbaa’ would have been decent to watch.
Telugu Funda’s take on the Demerits:
The treatment is not just old-school but also low-effort. There is no sense of intrigue or shock when an ordinary school teacher, a woman at that, commits a brutal murder. There is no sense of awe when a doctor who makes crores by saving lives puts himself in danger, behaving like a zombie all of a sudden. This is where the cinematography and production design should have come together to generate a dark mood.
Writer Sampath Nandi’s dialogues, at times, are juvenile. When a renowned psychologist uses ‘Google history’ and ‘medical history’ in the same sentence, she sounds like a comedian from a Sreenu Vaitla movie.
The idea of ‘bio memories’ remains unexplored. Everything is at the level of a mere idea rather than a concept in ‘Simbaa’.
Telugu Funda’s Verdict:
‘Simbaa’ is a well-intentioned movie watered down by superficial ideas and dated treatment.
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