Chiranjeevi's magnetic charisma struggles to uplift the lackluster "Bhola Shankar," directed by Meher Ramesh, which sadly lacks any truly remarkable moments.


 (Published on August 11, 2023, at 02:49 pm | Updated at 03:09 pm IST)


Bhola Shankar" movie review


Chiranjeevi takes on the role of Shankar in the film "Bhola Shankar," directed by Meher Ramesh.


Experiencing the Telugu movie "Bhola Shankar," led by Chiranjeevi and under the direction of Meher Ramesh, feels like stepping back a few decades, but unfortunately, not in a positive manner. The film repackages outdated, formulaic elements and presents them with the misguided belief that the star-studded lineup—Chiranjeevi, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Keerthy Suresh—can salvage a lackluster storyline. Meher Ramesh, credited for 'story development,' adapts a Tamil film "Vedalam" from eight years ago, featuring Ajith, which also wasn't particularly remarkable. The result is a mix of an overly sentimental sibling bond, one-dimensional villain characters, a female lead intended for absurd humor but falling into complete silliness, a barrage of tasteless comedy, and excessively loud, forgettable music.


"Bhola Shankar" is set in Kolkata, although the city's presence feels inconsequential. Aside from sporadic use of Bengali language, glimpses of the Hooghly Bridge, and scenes featuring Durga Puja celebrations, it's evident that a substantial portion of the film was shot on sets. Shankar (Chiranjeevi) arrives in the city with his sister Mahalakshmi (Keerthy Suresh), enrolling her in a fine arts program. Later in the film, there's a mention of her studying architecture during her graduation, though such details seem unimportant in the narrative's context. Her character experiences memory loss, which might explain such inconsistencies. Meanwhile, the storyline pays tribute to another iconic Shankar portrayed by Chiranjeevi—Shankardada.