Film: Maya Petika
Rating: 2/5
Cast: Viraj Ashwin, Simrat Kaur, Payal Rajpit, Rajat Raghav, Srinivas Reddy, Sunil, Shyamala, Prithviraj etc
Camera: Suresh Raguthu
Editor: Venkat Prabhu
Music: Guna Subramaniam
Producer: Magunta Sarath Chandra Reddy, Bommireddy Taraknath
Director: Ramesh Raparthi
Release Date: 30 June 2023
Small movies find it very hard to pull crowds to theaters unless they carry an element that is out of the box. The trailer of this film has given a hint that this is the biopic of a mobile phone, which sounds interesting as a plot point.
Let us see what is there in this.
Story:
It all starts with Payal Rajput, a top heroine receiving a mobile phone as a gift from her producer. Payal's boyfriend starts suspecting her relationships, and in the process, Payal gives away the phone to her assistant.
The assistant gives that phone to a corporator (Prithvi) who, in turn, loses it in a car that ends up in the hands of a car mechanic (Viraj).
What happens from then, how many hands the phone will move, and whether these multiple stories are connected or not form the second half of the film.
Technical Excellence:
The camera work and editing are okay. The music is average, and the first song is outdated with no pull factor in the music or lyrics. Only the song "Ayipoyane Deewana" is a bit soothing to the ears.
There is nothing notable to mention about other crafts as they are not so appealing. The dialogues are weak in some parts and sound okay in others.
Artists' Performances:
Payal Rajput appeared as herself. She is pleasing to the eyes, but her fictional love track is unconvincing and looks cheaply made.
Rajath Raghav is okay as the suspicious lover of Payal. Viraj Ashwin is okay as a mechanic, and his love track is appealing.
Simrat Kaur is beautiful, and she has effectively portrayed her part through mere expressions.
Prithviraj's comedy track is of C-grade quality but appeals to the audience with that taste.
Sunil-Shyamala track is entertaining, resembling the TikTok Durgarao and his wife. Srinivas Reddy's track is a bit unpleasant to watch and ends up feeling contrived.
The final Pakistan track is okay.
Highlights:
Idea
Drawbacks:
Poor production standards
Weak writing in some parts
Feeble dialogues
Music
Analysis:
The film is promoted as a biopic of a mobile phone, and the initial voiceover of Rana Daggubati also says the same. However, there is nothing that the phone contributes here. It is an anthology of different short stories through which the mobile phone travels and ultimately ends up.
The title 'Maya Petika' (magic box), if perceived to be a story with a supernatural element, is not completely apt. It's all about how a mobile phone changes the lives of different people.
The writing in the initial part of the film is horrible to the core. The producer-Payal Rajput track is amateurish and looks like C-grade content. The dialogues are weak and uninspiring.
Some momentum comes with Prithvi Raj's character. Surprisingly, his character track resembles the popular scandal he was alleged with some time ago.
"Ninnu venaka nunchi vacchi pattukundaamanukunnaanu" is the popular controversial line in the voice of Prithviraj that went viral on social media and mainstream news channels. Now the same line is used by Prithvi in the film.
On the whole, this film is engaging in parts and boring in some areas due to amateurish writing.
This film ends up as a moral story – those who use the mobile phone for good will grow to the next level in their lives, and those who use it for bad things will end up in jail.
Bottom Line: No Maya- Only Petika
