Dictator: Film Review – So Much Hype, So Much Boredom!

 

Dictator was over-hyped as Balakrishna’s 99th film – we actually hoped for something new. It’s our fault for hoping. Clearly, nobody in Tollywood even fakes trying anymore. There was nothing fresh in this far-too-often rehashed formulaic film. From a narrative that seems to follow Balakrishna like a bad odor since Samarasimha Reddy, to a larger-than-life portrayal of a star, clearly not in his element anymore – this film is not a pleasure to watch.

The film, as expected, typecast Balakrishna as the young middle-class struggler who is actually quite a rich guy, as you find out in the later half. How the said loss of wealth happened is the story, quite simply.

 

 

There isn’t much for us to tell you about the film per se. The acting was passable. The storyline very passable and the only thing that really drives the film is Balakrishna himself. Our only question is: for how many more films will these formulaic star-centred narratives continue?

 

This film is a treat for any Balakrishna fan. I mean, there isn’t much else for you to work with. Sure, Anjali and Sonal Chauhan look great and Vikramjeet Virk, Suman, Nassar, Kabir Singh Duhan, Sayaji Shinde and the rest of the cast entertain – but to what end? There’s nothing you do not expect in the movie.

 

The music is passable too, with S. Thaman proving (once again) that churning out film albums with a complete lack of wanting to do anything unique, actually works. Like any Balakrishna film, the narrative is spiced with enough and more punch dialogues. The plot, however, remains predictable and boring. 

 

Don’t watch this, unless you have a sarcastic sense of humor. Else, the joke is pretty much on you.

This is an out-and-out commercial flick riding solely on Balakrishna’s star status. A must do for any Balakrishna fan, a happy and wise skip for anyone else.