KHAIDI NO. 150 (Telugu) - A power-packed comeback film from the BOSS, bringing forward three socially relevant issues along with the typical entertaining format of a double role. (Review by Bobby Sing)

Chiranjeevi (The Boss) is back in style and though he hasn’t got anything new to offer in terms of the basic plot, the veteran still successfully manages to provide the much awaited masala entertainment, wisely justifying his current political image too bringing forward three burning social issues hitting the right note.

An official remake of Tamil hit KATHTHI (2014), the film revolves around an ages old plot of a small time thief/convict taking place of his look alike, who happens to be an important social figure representing a whole village and its people.

As his 150th film (indicated in the title), coming after a gap of 10 years post SHANKAR DADA ZINDABAD in 2007, this can easily be called a near-perfect comeback venture of Chiranjeevi, with the only major negative being the routine plot. Having said that, the script still remains a very wise and apt choice for the actor turned politician, doing complete justice with both is on-screen and off-screen image satisfying the fans too.  

Directed by V. V. Vinayak, KHAIDI NO. 150 actually gets a big support from the writing of A.R. Murgadoss that keeps you engrossed, emotionally charged and pumped up at intervals too post the initial routine hour. The forced comedy and romantic side-plots fail to deliver anything great (wasting Kajal as the female lead along with a weak villain) and the film actually picks up with the action taking over in its second half.

Among the key highlights are the cheer-worthy dialogues and enough punch packed in the actions sequences, particularly the one showcasing the ‘coin-trick’ and the games played with the light. Cinematography, background music and the catchy songs do add their bit providing the entertainment factor and its really a treat watching Chiranjeevi still doing those steps on the screen after a long time (since the 90s). However (as informed by a friend) when I heard the background score of the original, it was indeed much better and well composed in comparison. Yet, I honestly did enjoy the one featuring in the film and loved watching both father and son dancing together in the song “Ammadu Let's Do Kummudu” (Ram Charan making a cameo), despite the tracks as usual deliberately added without any need as such.

Owning the show without going overboard in even a single scene, KHAIDI NO.150 honestly rises above the routine due to Chiranjeevi and the three crucial social issues addressed by the makers quite impressively. The veteran truly stuns the viewers with his electrifying onscreen presence, energy and still in form charisma. And you remain simply amazed watching him perform everything including emotion, romance, comedy, action and dance with an unbelievable conviction and spirit even at the age of 61.

Coming to the film’s most appreciable merit, though not at any great length or details, KHAIDI NO. 150 rightly brings forward three important social issues of the present times mentioned below:

A. It draws you attention towards the poor state of farmers and the unfortunate suicides regularly reported from various regions of the country since last many years. And a sequence related to the same does make your eyes moist for a while showcasing a mass suicide.
B. Forceful corporatisation targeting villages and their agricultural fields is the other social curse incorporated in the script, including the way foreign corporates take away the passports of their employees and get blank papers signed from them too, to be used for the company’s benefit in the future.
C. But most importantly the writer-director strongly reveal the ugly face of today’s biased and corrupted mainstream media, only interested in their TRP ratings and competition instead of the actual truthful journalism and much required responsible reporting.  

In all, though (yet again) based on an old rotten plot, KHAIDI NO.150 can still be rated as a fairly enjoyable and largely satisfying comeback film of Chiranjeevi for his die-hard fans, especially considering the socially relevant sub-plots in its narration resulting in a much superior and appreciable project with a message.

Rating : 3 / 5
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Apart from the review, would like to draw your kind attention to a rare fact about our amazing South film industry with an infectious positive energy and incomparable spirit (don’t miss the end credits of the film representing the same).

Here a 31 years old Star produces a film for his 61 years old father, the Mega Star of the industry who is now a key politician too and the film happens to be a comeback venture for the veteran returning after a gap of 10 long years.

The Mega Star single handedly carries the film on his shoulder, doing everything as a youth icon convincingly, addressing three social issues of national importance and then both the father and son dance together on a peppy song too setting the screen on fire.

Probably the first instance of its kind in our Indian cinema, it’s really a pity that we still don’t have the culture, will and a system to watch our own regional language films with English subtitles in the country.

Worth giving a thought indeed!
Cheers!