Starring: Subhalekha Sudhakar, Easwari Rao, Ankith Koyya, Naina Ganguly, Esther Anil
Director: Teja Marni
DOP: Jagadeesh Cheekati
Dialogue Writer: Vamsi
Music: Priyadarshan Balasubhramaniam
Lyrics: Chaitanya Prasad
Singer: Kala Bhairava, Haricharan Seshadri
Art: Gandhi
Producer: Sandeep Marni
Executive Producer: Anil Chowdary
Line Producer: Kalyan Krishna, Raghavendra Chowdary, Prasad

iQlikMovies Rating: 2.75/5

Yet another Telugu film opted for a direct OTT release due to the shut down of the theaters. It is Johaar, directed by the newcomer Teja Marni. Starring notable actors like Krishna Chaitanya and Subalekha Sudhakar as the leads, this movie premiered on Aha today. Here is the review of the film:

Story:
The film revolves around five different characters. An aspiring athlete (Naina Ganguly), a struggling farmer (Eeshwari Rao), an aged person (Subalekha Sudhakar) and a young girl (Esther Anil). How the lives of these four people got affected by a politician (Krishna Chaitanya) who is planning to construct a statue for his late father forms the main plot of the story.

Performances:
All the lead actors got author-backed roles in the film. After doing a lot of supporting roles, Krishna Chaitanya got an impressive character in the film. He gave his best for it. Veteran actor Subhalekha Sudhakar was at his usual best. Eeshwari Rao and Esther also gave good performances. Naina Ganguly, who was seen in glamorous roles, gave a contrasting performance as an athlete in the film. She was brilliant.

Technical Aspects:
Debutant director Teja chose an interesting plot for his first film. He scored his first success in choosing the lead actors. All of them have put their souls in the film. He has written the script well with good emotional values. But he could have made it a bit more interesting as sometimes, we feel there is a lag in the film's proceedings. The cinematography is the next highlight of the film. All the locations were authentic to the story and they were portrayed beautifully. The background score lifts the mood of the film. Even the production design deserves a special mention.

Verdict:
Johaar is a well-made film that depicts present-day society. The director wanted to portray how politicians affect the lives of common people for their own benefits. It is a perfect satire that comes up with a strong message. All the lead actors have an impressive performance in the film. Only the film could have been a bit crisper with a few more interesting scenes. Anyways, it will be a good watch for this independence day weekend.

Plus Points:
The overall message of the film
Performances of the lead actors

Minus Points:
Slow-paced narration
Editing could have been a bit crisper

Final Verdict:
Johaar is an emotional tale with beautiful performances!