Veera Simha Reddy review: Balakrishna and SS Thaman drive Gopichand’s mass entertainer

The festive season kicked off in the Telugu states this morning with the release of Nandamuri Balakrishna’s mass entertainer, Veera Simha Reddy. This film, starring the glamorous Shruti Haasan and Malayalam actress Honey Rose as female leads, was directed by Gopichand Malineni. The theatrical trailer, released on 6 January 2023, showed the veteran star Balakrishna in two shades and glimpsed the fans with high-octane action scenes and strong punchlines. Mythri Movie Makers, who also produced Chiranjeevi’s Waltair Veerayya, bankrolled the film.

Read on for a spoiler-free review of Veera Simha Reddy.

The movie opens with a rugged-looking Duniya Vijay as Prathap Reddy, a revenge-driven man on the hunt for the protagonist. After a sequence that establishes him as the violent and ruthless antagonist, the scene shifts to Istanbul, where Balakrishna is introduced as Jai. The first fight sequence with the veteran actor in a trendy and dapper look is entertaining until Shruti Haasan enters the plot. A couple of forgettable comedy sequences and the Suguna Sundari song unfold in the first thirty minutes.

The first half picks pace as the story pans back to Veera Simha Reddy’s realm, Rayalaseema. In total contrast to his younger look, Balakrishna shines as the rugged and aged Veera Simha, the protector of Pulicherla. Intense action sequences and typical Balakrishna-style dialogues will surely keep the moviegoers whistling until the interval, which holds a major plot twist. The rest of the movie unfolds around revenge and the upbeat dance numbers, which are a breath of fresh air amid continuous action sequences.

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With Balakrishna’s performance being the major boost, music director SS Thaman’s electrifying BGMs add soul to Veera Simha Reddy, especially during action sequences. Director Gopichand Malineni succeeds in impressing the fans by cashing on NBK’s forte of delivering massy punchlines and making the most of other noteworthy cast members. Nevertheless, he fails to invoke comedy, particularly with the sequences involving Shruti Haasan backfiring. While the trailer indicated that Honey Rose’s screentime would be limited to a song and adding glam, director Gopichand surprises the audiences with his plans. The Malayalam beauty essayed a plot-defining role and charmed moviegoers with her looks and performance. Duniya Vijay, as the baddie, and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar are sure to attract positive reviews and appreciation.

After an electrifying first half, the second half keeps the viewers waiting for the climax owing to a few too many fights and prolonged runtime. The cinematography by Rishi Punjab outperforms the other technical aspects, while the VFX maintains a below-par standard.

Overall, Veera Simha Reddy is an entertaining watch this Sankranti season and is a must-watch if gravity-defying fights and loud music don’t irk you. Make sure to carry some extra popcorn for the second half.

Yo! rating: 2.75/5

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