Sodara Tale

Chiru (Sampoornesh Babu) and Pawan (Santosh) are siblings who care for each other deeply. One day, Chiru meets his neighbor Divi (Aarti Gupta), declares his feelings for her, and gets turned down. Disheartened by this, he requests his parents to arrange a marriage and agrees to it the moment he sees Bhuvana (Prachi Bansal). However, the plot thickens when the younger brother, Pawan, discovers that the girl chosen by his parents for his elder brother is actually his girlfriend. The way the brothers navigate this complicated situation forms the entire narrative of the film.

Sodara Evaluation

Sodara is directed and written by Manmohan Manepally, who opts for a decidedly old-fashioned narrative to present his film in 2025. To begin with, one senses how this type of film was approved by the producers from the outset. Besides the interval twist, there is nothing novel that the film's plot brings to the table. Such themes have been depicted in numerous films until now, and Sodara merely serves as an extension of those films.

Baby fame Sai Rajesh introduced Sampoornesh Babu as the protagonist in his movie Hrudaya Kaleyam. The film was a spoof comedy and achieved remarkable success for Sampoo. However, he failed to capitalize on this fame, starring in only a few films, and that too in lead roles. Thus, in the present day, he seems unfit for a traditional comedian or solo lead role. The audience adores him regardless of the films he appears in, and that loyalty is evident in the early segments of the film when he makes his introduction. But once he concludes his part, Sampoo appears to be out of place and behaves overly dramatic without reason throughout the film.

The interval twist has been executed effectively, and the surprise that follows is presented in an engaging way. However, to reach this moment, the creators present two love stories that are dreadful and impossible to endure even for a moment. The film feels trapped in the 80s, and there is excessive lag in the entire first half. The situation improves in the second half, but this improvement lasts only for a handful of scenes.

The forced humor and exaggerated family emotions fail to resonate at all. The writing is so unremarkable that one questions how such a film was even produced. Additionally, the film concludes with a significant falsehood, as the brothers' love story succeeds, which feels insincere. It is unnecessary for the ending to be deceptive, and this appeared foolish.

Regarding the performances, Sampoornesh Babu remains trapped in the glory days of his first film and behaves as if Sodara is a parody film. He should return to his comedic roles and earn a living through them. Santosh, who takes on the other lead role, is also lackluster and has much to learn. He comes across as rustic and takes a considerable time to win you over.

However, the female leads have performed excellently. Prachi Bansal stands out as very proficient in the film. Whether it's her presence on screen or her performance, she has excelled. The other lead, Arti Gupta, was also satisfactory in her part. It was pleasant to see veteran comedian Babu Mohan in a significant role. He was adequate, and so were the other cast members.

The cinematography, production quality, and visuals are nothing remarkable to discuss. On the other hand, the music is quite good, as all the songs integrate well into the storyline. Yet, all this does little to help since the narrative is dull and appears absurd. With films like Sankranthiki Vasthunnam making record profits despite lacking a plot, there isn't a single satisfactory episode in Sodara, as films of this nature have been produced since the late 80s and end up in obscurity.

Sodara's Take

Overall, Sodara is a dull family drama that does not succeed in any area. Except for the interval episode, the movie lacks anything favorable and should be skipped this weekend.

Read Also: Phule Review: Stellar Performances by Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa Undercut by a Lackluster Script

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!