MASS MAHARAJA RAVI TEJA RETURNS TO THE BIG SCREEN WITH TOUCH CHESI CHUDU, AN ACTION-PACKED ENTERTAINER DIRECTED BY VIKRAM SIRIKONDA. RELEASED IN 2018, THE FILM PROMISED A BLEND OF HIGH-OCTANE STUNTS, EMOTIONAL DRAMA, AND RAVI TEJA’S SIGNATURE ENERGY. WITH MUSIC BY JAM8 AND A SUPPORTING CAST INCLUDING RAASHI KHANNA AND SEERAT KAPOOR, THE MOVIE AIMED TO DELIVER A COMMERCIAL TREAT TO FANS. BUT DOES IT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE? LET’S DIVE INTO THIS SPOILER-FREE REVIEW.
PLOT SUMMARY
KARTHIKEYA (RAVI TEJA) IS A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN BASED IN PONDICHERRY, KNOWN FOR HIS AGGRESSIVE APPROACH AND NO-NONSENSE ATTITUDE. HIS LIFE REVOLVES AROUND FAMILY AND WORK UNTIL A SERIES OF EVENTS FORCE HIM TO REVISIT HIS PAST AS A FIERCE POLICE OFFICER. THE STORY UNFOLDS IN TWO TIMELINES—HIS PRESENT AS A BUSINESSMAN AND HIS PAST AS A DUTY-BOUND COP.
WHEN A MURDER INVESTIGATION THREATENS HIS PEACEFUL LIFE, KARTHIKEYA IS COMPELLED TO RETURN TO HYDERABAD AND TAKE CHARGE. WHAT FOLLOWS IS A CAT-AND-MOUSE CHASE WITH A CRIMINAL MASTERMIND, LAYERED WITH EMOTIONAL FLASHBACKS AND ROMANTIC INTERLUDES. THE NARRATIVE ATTEMPTS TO BALANCE ACTION, SENTIMENT, AND COMEDY, THOUGH NOT ALWAYS SEAMLESSLY.
PERFORMANCE ✓ CASTING
RAVI TEJA CARRIES THE FILM ON HIS SHOULDERS WITH HIS TRADEMARK SWAGGER AND COMIC TIMING. HIS DUAL SHADES—BUSINESSMAN AND COP—ARE PORTRAYED WITH CONVICTION, THOUGH THE SCRIPT DOESN’T OFFER MUCH NOVELTY. RAASHI KHANNA PLAYS PUSHPA, THE LOVE INTEREST, AND BRINGS CHARM TO HER ROLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHTER MOMENTS. SEERAT KAPOOR, IN A BRIEF BUT IMPACTFUL ROLE, ADDS EMOTIONAL DEPTH.
SUPPORTING ACTORS LIKE MURALI SHARMA AND FREDDY DARUWALA (AS THE ANTAGONIST) DO JUSTICE TO THEIR PARTS, THOUGH THE VILLAIN’S CHARACTERIZATION FEELS UNDERDEVELOPED. THE ENSEMBLE CAST SUPPORTS THE NARRATIVE BUT LACKS STANDOUT MOMENTS.
DIRECTION ✓ CINEMATOGRAPHY
VIKRAM SIRIKONDA’S DIRECTION SHOWS FLASHES OF PROMISE, ESPECIALLY IN THE ACTION SEQUENCES. HOWEVER, THE SCREENPLAY STRUGGLES WITH PACING AND COHERENCE. THE FILM’S TONE SHIFTS ABRUPTLY BETWEEN COMEDY, ROMANCE, AND ACTION, WHICH MAY LEAVE VIEWERS DISORIENTED.
CINEMATOGRAPHER CHOTA K. NAIDU CAPTURES THE ACTION WITH FLAIR. THE HYDERABAD SEQUENCES ARE GRITTY AND WELL-FRAMED, WHILE THE PONDICHERRY PORTIONS OFFER A BREEZY CONTRAST. THE VISUAL PALETTE COMPLEMENTS THE FILM’S DUAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURE.
MUSIC ✓ SOUND DESIGN
THE SOUNDTRACK BY JAM8 (A TEAM MENTORED BY PRITAM) IS PEPPY AND SITUATIONAL. SONGS LIKE “MANASA” AND “TOUCH CHESI CHUDU” ARE CATCHY, THOUGH NOT PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE. BACKGROUND SCORE BY MANISHARMA ELEVATES THE ACTION SCENES AND ADDS INTENSITY TO KEY MOMENTS.
SOUND DESIGN IS COMPETENT, ESPECIALLY DURING FIGHT SEQUENCES AND CHASE SCENES. THE MIX ENSURES THAT DIALOGUES AND EFFECTS DON’T CLASH, MAINTAINING CLARITY THROUGHOUT.
SCREENPLAY ✓ DIALOGUES
THE SCREENPLAY, PENNED BY VAKKANTHAM VAMSI, TRIES TO BLEND MASS APPEAL WITH EMOTIONAL DEPTH BUT FALTERS IN EXECUTION. DIALOGUES ARE PUNCHY IN PARTS, ESPECIALLY RAVI TEJA’S ONE-LINERS, BUT LACK CONSISTENCY. THE ROMANTIC TRACK FEELS FORCED, AND THE EMOTIONAL BEATS DON’T ALWAYS LAND.
THE SECOND HALF, WHICH DELVES INTO KARTHIKEYA’S PAST, IS MORE ENGAGING THAN THE FIRST, BUT THE TRANSITIONS COULD HAVE BEEN SMOOTHER.
THEMES ✓ SYMBOLISM
AT ITS CORE, TOUCH CHESI CHUDU EXPLORES THEMES OF DUTY, JUSTICE, AND PERSONAL SACRIFICE. KARTHIKEYA’S TRANSFORMATION FROM A BUSINESSMAN TO A COP SYMBOLIZES THE INTERNAL CONFLICT BETWEEN PERSONAL PEACE AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE FILM ALSO TOUCHES ON CORRUPTION AND THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
HOWEVER, THE SYMBOLISM IS SURFACE-LEVEL AND DOESN’T DELVE DEEP INTO THE PSYCHE OF ITS CHARACTERS. THE EMOTIONAL ARCS FEEL RUSHED, LEAVING LITTLE ROOM FOR INTROSPECTION.
AUDIENCE RECEPTION ✓ BOX OFFICE
UPON RELEASE, TOUCH CHESI CHUDU RECEIVED MIXED REVIEWS FROM CRITICS AND AUDIENCES. WHILE RAVI TEJA’S FANS APPRECIATED HIS ENERGETIC PERFORMANCE, MANY FELT THE FILM LACKED FRESHNESS AND COHERENCE. THE BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE WAS AVERAGE, WITH STRONG OPENINGS IN MASS CENTERS BUT A DIP IN URBAN MULTIPLEXES.
COMPARED TO RAVI TEJA’S PREVIOUS HITS, THIS FILM DIDN’T QUITE MATCH EXPECTATIONS, THOUGH IT FOUND APPRECIATION AMONG DIE-HARD FANS OF THE GENRE.
VERDICT
TOUCH CHESI CHUDU IS A TYPICAL MASALA ENTERTAINER THAT RELIES HEAVILY ON RAVI TEJA’S CHARISMA. WHILE THE ACTION AND EMOTIONAL MOMENTS HAVE THEIR HIGHS, THE INCONSISTENT SCREENPLAY AND PREDICTABLE PLOT DILUTE THE IMPACT. IF YOU’RE A FAN OF COMMERCIAL TELUGU CINEMA AND ENJOY RAVI TEJA’S STYLE, THIS FILM OFFERS A DECENT ONE-TIME WATCH.
RATING√ ★★★★☆ {2.5√5}
