Disco Raja Review: Ravi Teja Impresses in a Diverse Sci-Fi Entertainer!

Starring Ravi Teja in the titular role, Disco Raja stars Payal Rajput as the female lead, Bobby Simha as the main antagonist and ‘Vennela’ Kishore, Nabha Natesh, Tanya Hope and Sunil as the supporting cast. VI Anand, who previously helmed a commercially successful entertainer – Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada in 2016, returned to the director’s chair with Karthik Ghattamaneni and Thaman S as the cinematographer and the music director respectively. Marketed as a science-fiction action film, the storyline of the film follows our main protagonist – Ravi Teja’s journey, as he receives a second chance to complete what he once started.

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To give credit where credit’s due, Vi Anand should be commended for his efforts to offer something new to the Telugu audience. Bombarded with mundane “family” entertainers like Ala Vaikunthapurramloo, Venky Mama, and Sarileru Neekevvaru from time to time, Disco Raja felt like a breath of fresh air with the added sci-fi elements. The concept of the film was never fully explored before in the industry, and it is refreshing to see filmmakers branch to uncharted territories rather than following the same, worn-out formulas which are getting tiring to watch off late.

VI Anand’s screenplay also kept things intriguing, for the most part, the 150-minute runtime was decently paced, and despite a few minor hiccups, the overall product didn’t bore me out as a viewer. However, amidst the appealing screenplay and the novel concept, the storyline of Disco Raja went for a toss as it is pretty straightforward through and through.

The conventional cat and mouse, the revenge-filled plot is tried, tested, jinxed and remade a million times before as I anticipated something fresh when it comes to the main crux of the narrative. The protagonist overcoming all odds, the physics-defying slow-mo action scenes, the generic romantic angle, and the silly jokes alluded towards women do not fly by in 2020, and I wish the filmmakers have a real reason for incorporating them into their movies.

Moving on to the character and the performances, Ravi Teja lives up to his title – ‘Mass Maharaja’ and delivers a sure-fire performance with his charismatic energy, comedic timing, and thunderous screen presence. His portrayal as Disco Raja certainly added the liveliness to the film as it reminded me of his classic performances from Kick, etc. Bobby Simha as the primary bad guy, presented his character in the best way possible regardless of the depth and the importance. The remainder of the supporting cast from Payal Rajput, Tanya Hope, and Nabha Natesh to ‘Vennela’ Kishore, and Satya gave satisfactory performances in their brief roles which helped the narrative move from point A to B.

Technically, Disco Raja delivered from the top to the bottom. Starting with the marvelous camera work by Karthik Ghattamaneni and the extravagant production design, the movie looked vibrant, unique, cinematic, and breathtaking on-screen. Exempting the chic concept, this movie is worth a watch just for the visuals Karthik was able to capture from the beginning till the end. And the magic on-screen is also remarkably complemented by Thaman’s dynamic background score and listenable songs.

Overall, VI Anand succeeded in churning out an entertaining film with a diverse concept and well-paced screenplay. However, Disco Raja suffers from clichés in-between, be it the mainstream plot, and the forced commercial elements like romance and comedy. Ravi Teja shines bright in a role designed for him in all aspects, and visually, the film is a spectacular watch. The success of the film depends on the audience’s will to embrace distinct ideas as it is a worthwhile watch, at least for me.

Rating – 3/5 | Grade – B

Images via SRT Entertainments

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