Jyothi Lakshmi is Tammareddy
Bharadwaj-meets-incomplete Puri Jagannadh. When Charmi is seen fighting
over using condom on first night, you would hardly be prepared to see a
'Prathighatana' from her. But that is exactly what happens here, with
good unPuri stuff thrown in. The film is a throwback to the 90s style
narration from the time the prostitute who never called any man 'anna'
except a pimp or a cop, takes it upon herself to close the sex racket in
the city. Like it happens in our films, there is only one super pimp
who needs to be destroyed. Jyothi the rebel makes it very clear that
behind every woman's woes, there is a man.
Do you go to a Puri film to watch a
former sex worker's 'prathighatana'? You may have to, for the
TEMPERament is not 'Businessman'-like now. There is the usual flashback
with the mandatory sentimentality. After the pious dose of prurience
and titillation, the director gets into revolution mode minus
Vandemataram Srinivas. It is not until tragedy strikes a fellow sex
worker that the potential revolutionary in deep slumber realizes that
the law itself is discriminatory in not punishing the client. Once she
realizes it, there is no looking back: looking is only looking through
China-made spy cameras.
Charmi is a vivacious, enterprising
whore from Gangubhai land. Brimming with desire and bursting with
song-n'-dance, she is pursued by Satyadev. One side love happens and it
is marriage time in no time. But can the celebrated celebrity-whore
called Jyothi Lakshmi put her past behind?
All through watching the cliched
second half, one feels it is quite unPuri. The director settles for
unleashing the 'nari' in saree (complete with 'kumkum' but thankfully
not armed with any divine prowess), and making her spout pedestrian
lines. When Revolution 2.0 can be accomplished by using
placard-wielding activism, sting operations and news channels, where is
the need to wear the thinking cap?
This one is yet another Puri film
without a separate comedy track; there is only a separate titillation
track which gives way to a separate, disjointed senti track, and
eventually comes a separate, elaborate 'prathighatana' track delivered
like a semi-rehash.
Brahmanandam hardly gives a takeaway
(barring his "Customers emotions tho adukokandi.."), Sampoornesh Babu
gets the least indulgent role he can imagine, Krishnudu and Sapthagiri
are criminally wasted. Without Ali, the writer must have been
handicapped without an opportunity to deliver an extra double entendre.
Enough said about Charmi's
characterization, who gets the lion's share from the time Satyadev is
crippled in old filmi style. Suffice it to say that there is nothing
novel about a deviant character who transforms, without much effort,
into someone mature enough to say, "Adadi meeku artham kadu.." For many
years will maturity be portrayed through lines like these? Surely,
there are subtle ways of doing it?
Satyadev doesn't make an impact,
there comes a point when his 'I love you..' sounds stale and
emotionless. The villains anyways don't have much to do. The owner's
daughter and the friend are the only Puri-esque characters out there.
It's Charmi's film all the way. Minus her oomph, the film would be a damp squib.
PG Vinda's cinematography passes muster. Sunil Kashyap's music is just OK.
Jyothi
Lakshmi is an Telugu film written and directed by Puri Jagannadh
starring and presenting by Charmy Kaur in the titular role. It is
produced by Swethalana, Varun, Teja, C. V. Wikipedia
Initial release: June 12, 2015
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