Entertainment
oi-Prakash KL
Akhil Akkineni’s latest Telugu film Lenin has hit the screens on Friday. Directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, the film has Bhagyashri Borse playing the female lead.
Ramki, Sivaji, Sunil, Getup Srinu and others are part of the cast. The Telugu film has S Thaman’s music, Leon Britto’s cinematography and Naveen Nooli’s editing.
Akhil Akkineni stars in ‘Lenin’, a 1980s rural drama directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, depicting an orphan uncovering dark secrets. The film, featuring Bhagyashri Borse and music by S Thaman, garners mixed reviews, praising Akhil’s performance but noting weaknesses in writing and romance.
The story of the movie is set in 1980s at Sri Ramapuram, Chittoor. Lenin (Akhil Akkineni), an orphan, grows up under the care of Jayanthi (Eashwari Rao) and her son, Vasanth (Pramod Panju), a doctor. Love blossoms for Lenin during the annual Bharatam Mitta celebrations when he meets Bharathi (Bhagyashri Borse).
His life changes when he uncovers dark, unexpected secrets about the people who are close to him. He has to now turn against them. What are these devastating truths, and what turns his family against him? The answers to these questions form the crux of the storyline.
The movie is getting mixed reviews from the critics. One user writes, that Akhil’s movie is a “template commercial film with a few interesting twists.”
The user writes, “Decent intro with a setup drawing parallels to the Mahabharatham. However, the film soon turns flat with an ineffective love story and tried and tested commercial beats. The film picks up from the pre-interval, and while a few second half blocks and twists work well, its biggest issue is that it feels too reminiscent of rural dramas we’ve seen before, giving it an outdated feel at times.”
He hails Thaman’s music but criticises “bad” placement of songs. According to him, Akhil has shown improvement over his previous outings and has delivered a watchable film, but this one doesn’t have enough to be a completely satisfying watch. Overall, he calls it an average film.
Another netizen writes that Akhil Akkineni is the only one who truly stands out with his performance. However, he shares unhappiness over the “the weak writing” which keeps the film from becoming a hit. “The characters are poorly developed, and the constant attempt to draw parallels with characters from the Mahabharata only adds to the confusion. Those comparisons feel forced and ultimately serve no meaningful purpose,” the user comments.
He continues, “Bhagyashri looks superb on screen, Thaman’s background score is decent, Sivaji is wasted, Cinematography is impressive.”
He ends with an advice to the makers that they should not mess with Mahabharata characters if they do not have a clear understanding of who they are.
The third user claims that Lenin is an ambitious commercial entertainer that gets many of its building blocks right. However, Akhil-starrer misses the emotional glue needed to elevate them.
The netizen claims, “Murali Kishore Abburu creates an engaging rural world with Mahabharata-inspired drama, well-planned screenplay reveals, and a compelling hero-villain conflict. The film takes its time to establish its world, and although the romance remains the weakest link, it finds its rhythm from the pre-interval and delivers an engaging second half filled with satisfying twists, elevations, and well-executed confrontations.”
According to him, the biggest setback is the love story. “Since it forms the emotional backbone of the narrative, its lack of depth prevents several key moments from landing with the impact they deserve. Thaman’s songs interrupt the narrative, but his background score elevates the crucial sequences.
“Akhil delivers one of his better performances and carries the film with conviction. Lenin falls short of its own potential, but it’s still a decent one-time watch.”
However, the fourth user adds that Lenin is a watchable rural action drama with interesting screenplay in parts. He explains, “But the loud bgm and outdated treatment spoils the intensity. Akhil did a great job and showed lot of improvement as a performer. Strictly for masses.”
