F3 movie review: Venkatesh shoulders this wacky comic caper that delivers on its promise for the most part

3/5

Story:

Varun, a youngster, in the company of his uncle, takes up lowly, odd jobs for a living. Venky is a frustrated middle-aged man who's tired of shouldering family responsibilities and is desperate to earn a quick buck. They together hatch a plot to honeytrap a young woman who claims to be the heiress of a large empire. Varun and Venky go overboard in their bid to impress her but destiny has other plans in store for them. To what extent will the duo go to clear their debts and get rich?

Review:

Anil Ravipudi has consistently taken pride in filling the void left behind by the likes of Jandhyala, EVV Satyanarayana and SV Krishna Reddy, filmmakers who specialised in comic capers. While one may not be sure if Anil is a worthy inheritor of their legacy, he certainly has a knack for absurdist humour. His films aren't meant to age well but are aimed to provide instant gratification - F3 serves that purpose. The second instalment in the 'Fun and Frustration' franchise, if not for anything, betters its prequel by a fair stretch.

F2: Fun and Frustration pitted irresponsible men against their partners who'd go to any length to take charge of their relationships. F3, more than the clash of genders, is about their common greed for money. The cast and the spirit of both films remain the same. F3 works well as a standalone film as much as it does as a sequel. The one-liners come one after the other at a frenetic pace, the situations get wackier, and subtlety feels like it belongs to another planet and yet these gags come together for a film that keeps you engaged.

F3, one must admit, is far from original - it's a rehash of tropes, characters derived from a handful of Jandhyala and EVV Satyanarayana films in the 80s and 90s, and is tailored smartly for a newer audience (the crux of the film seems to be heavily inspired by Chantabbai and Nenante Nene). To give credit where it's due, Anil Ravipudi succeeds in his pursuit. It's a film where a mother serves her son a flurry of dishes made out of a 'money plant' with the hope to get rich quickly and you don't mind having a good laugh. 

The strength of F3 is its eccentricity, there's no space for sanity - while an over smart Varun stammers, an insecure Venky has night blindness and they embark on a mission in the middle of the night. Characters keep muttering long one-liners even if they're stabbed. There's a money lender Pala Baby who falls at the feet of women out of respect, there's a cop Nagaraju whose righteousness isn't valued at work and there are a handful of street-smart women who change their stance at the drop of a hat to get their work done. What if they unite for a common goal?

The storytelling pattern in F2 and F3 is similar on the whole (more intentional) - the characters fight among themselves in the first hour and later they hide their true identities when the backdrop shifts to a mansion in the second hour. Pradeep, playing a submissive husband, much like F2, still only has one line in response to anything that his wife asks him - 'Anthega'. Pragathi Suresh, her daughters and two elderly women don't mind turning badass con-women in the need of the hour and the male leads are at their mercy, more often than not.

Those with a fair bit of knowledge of Telugu cinema and its popular trends over the years will be able to enjoy F3 more. There's a hat-tip to every notable film of a major star in recent times, from Baahubali to Sarileru Neekevvaru to Gabbar Singh, Vakeel Saab and Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava. Venkatesh even wins over a bull with a reference to Suryavamsam's iconic song 'Rojaave...Chinni Rojaave' and is dressed as Narappa in the climax and says, 'They have watched him on OTT, they'll have greater fun watching me in action on the big screen now.' 

Telugu cinema may have been notorious for misusing 'praasa' (rhythm) in one-liners in recent years, but Anil's one-liners keep such indulgences in check here. The fun element goes for a toss in the latter part of the film, where Anil falls short of ideas to string an engaging narrative and resorts to one gag after the other. The climax, which feels more like an afterthought, has its share of sparkles though it could've been written better.

The star of the show is undoubtedly Venkatesh, who is bursting with enthusiasm and enjoys the license that Anil gives him to go all guns blazing without any restraint. Varun Tej, though not an equal match to the veteran, nevertheless shows that he's worked on his comic timing. Tamannaah is rather underrated for her knack for humour and she pulls off a full-length role with assurance. Mehreen gets a scope to shine in her initial portions though there's little meat to the role beyond that. 

Sunil and Ali are the pick of the lot among the ensemble cast - they've ample experience in making these wacky scenarios work to their advantage and it shows. Pragathi Suresh, Y Vijaya and Annapurnamma shine while they last. Murli Sharma, in his authoritative performance, gives a solid emotional foundation to the premise. Sampath, Rajendra Prasad and Vennela Kishore are just alright. Sonal Chauhan's presence doesn't add much value to the film. Devi Sri Prasad's music, but for Life Ante Minimum Itta Vundaala, is quite mediocre.  

Verdict:

F3 delivers what you expect from it - an out-and-out fun ride with well-written one-liners and a bunch of wacky characters in implausible scenarios. Venkatesh, Sunil and a select lot from the ensemble cast give it everything to make this work. F3 is a much better film in comparison to its prequel F2 (not that it's of any golden standard). Given the average viewer's desperation for comedy entertainers, which have become a rarity in Telugu cinema lately, F3 is bound to work with its target audience.