Saripodhaa Sanivaaram Review: Nani kills it, but SJ Surya is the show stealer

3.5/5

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram Story

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is about Surya (Nani), a very naturally aggressive person. On her death bed, his mother makes Surya promise that he should control his anger six days a week and can go all out on Saturdays. On the other hand, Daya (S J Suryah) is a ruthless cop in the area of Sokulapalem. A small incident related to constable Charulatha (Priyanka Arul Mohan) makes Surya stand beside the people of Sokulapalem. However, how a man who is allowed to showcase his anger only on Saturdays can be pitted against a crazy cop and come out victorious is the basic story of the film.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram Review

Nani has teamed up with director Vivek Athreya for the second time after Ante Sundaraniki. Though the film flopped, Nani has shown faith in Vivek for Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, and boy the young director has delivered in style. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a full-on action drama with solid content. The concept of a hero who can showcase his anger only on Saturdays is thought of nicely in the film and is also executed with proper logic.

Vivek Athreya neatly establishes the plot, how the hero gets angry, and how deals with is shown in a very organic manner. On the other hand, how the villain played by SJ Suryah is highlighted is the best part of the film. The conflict point about how the villain behaves and how he is pitted against the hero is showcased so beautifully.

However, the pace of the film is a bit slow. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is close to three hours long and one gets a feeling that the film should have been trimmed for at least ten minutes to make things enjoyable. But Saripodhaa Sanivaaram has enough moments that make the film click. The second half has been designed superbly. Especially the confrontation scenes between Nani and SJ Suryah in the second half are hilarious.

Also Read: Nani Interview on Saripodhaa Sanivaaram: You will see my shocking new avatar 

The mistaken identity and the way the cat-and-mouse game of hero and villain is showcased is superb. There is a subtle humor in the character of SJ Suryah and the masses will enjoy his comedy timing. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is divided into chapters and each aspect is showcased with a gripping screenplay. The fights are top notch and the episode of SJ Suryah and Murali Sharma is quite engaging.

However, the climax of the film is dragged a bit and this could have been avoided. The concept of people stuck in a town ruled by bad guys and hoping for a miracle to happen is showcased in many films and is nothing new in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram as well. The film has several pacing issues and could have been edited out to make things better.

Vivek Athreya is known to make light-hearted films but how he has mixed content with commercial cinema is quite engaging. Coming to the performances, Nani delivers yet another stellar performance. With each film of his, Nani's graph as an action star is only increasing. For an actor who has done mostly soft roles, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a full-on transformation into a classy action star. If Dasara showcased him in a massy avatar, Nani is classy as Surya in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram and takes his star status to another level.

Priyanka Arul Mohan gets the key role of a cop and she is natural. All her scenes with S J Suryah are top-notch. Harshvardhan, Ajay, Murali Sharma, and Sai Kumar deliver impressive performances. Sai Kumar is also neat in his role. All the scenes of Suryah and Nani in the second half and how Suryah dominates Nani in many scenes show how powerful the actor-director was.

But it is SJ Surya, who walks away with all the cake. All those who walk out after the film will only remember SJ Suryah's character of Daya. Be it the walk, talk, or emotion that the popular actor showcases makes Saripodhaa Sanivaaram quite special. He gave one of his best performances to date in his career and will be a busy star in Telugu cinema in the days to come. 

If Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is the way it is, credit should go to composer Jakes Bejoy, who kills it with his riveting background score. The way Jakes elevates the action blocks and character of S J Suryah is just amazing. The production design showcasing the action backdrop and the able camerawork is very good.

The action sequences have also been done well and showcase Nani in a striking new avatar. The dialogue and screenplay are some of the highlights. Vivek Athreya pens a screenplay that has hardly anything negative. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a full-on action drama that has been cleverly executed by adding a unique point. The way it is enacted, directed, and has amazing thrills makes up for an enjoyable experience.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram Verdict:

On the whole, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a content-driven action drama that clicks all the boxes right. Amazing performances, solid thrills, and massy elements, this film has it all. Nani delivers yet another hit and is solid but it is S J Suryah who walks away with all the glory for his mesmerizing act.

Also Read: Priyanka Arul Mohan on Saripodhaa Sanivaaram: Both Nani and Pawan Kalyan are dreamers