‘KA’: A Festival Hit in Telugu, Ready to Make Waves in Malayalam and Beyond”

The film “KA,” starring young hero Kiran Abbavaram, has emerged as a massive hit in Tollywood, captivating audiences with its period thriller narrative. Under the banner of Srichakra Entertainment, presented by Smt. Chinta Varalakshmi, and produced by Chinta Gopalakrishna Reddy, the movie boasts significant production values. Directors Sujeeth and Sandeep have skillfully crafted this action thriller against a village backdrop, leading “KA” to be a grand Diwali release in Telugu. Its success not only during the festive season but also as it entered its second week, demonstrates the film’s wide appeal.

Originally envisioned as a pan-India release, the film has already been shown in Tamil Nadu to a modest reception, given its limited screenings. The makers’ strategy to explore its potential across different linguistic demographics is now set to test waters in Kerala. Kiran Abbavaram is gearing up for the Malayalam release of “KA,” scheduled for November 22. This move marks a significant step in the actor’s career, seeking to replicate the film’s Telugu success in other regions.

Having already established a strong foothold in both Telugu states with impressive box office collections, “KA” has proven to be a lucrative venture for buyers, breaking even across all areas. The film’s performance in Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi cinemas remains to be seen, but its current trajectory suggests a promising outcome. Kiran Abbavaram, in particular, has seen his career reach new heights with the film’s success, achieving his highest earnings to date.

“KA” stands out not only for its captivating narrative and stellar performances but also for its strategic release timing. Debuting during the Diwali festival, it secured a blockbuster status and was recognized as a Diwali winner, a testament to its widespread acceptance and the effective planning of its release schedule.

As “KA” navigates through its pan-India journey, its performance in the Malayalam market is eagerly anticipated. The film’s success story serves as a glowing example of regional cinema’s potential to cross linguistic boundaries and resonate with a broader audience. With Kiran Abbavaram at the helm, “KA” is on course to leave a lasting impact on the Indian film industry.

Matka Movie Review

Matka is Varun Tej’s new film promoted a lot in the last few days. Featuring Varun Tej and Meenakshi Chaudhary in lead roles, the film has been directed by Karun Kumar of Palasa fame. Read our review to find out whether the film lives up to all the hype.

Story

Vasu(Varun Tej) is a refugee from Burma who landed in Vizag as a teenager. He takes the route of crime and becomes a solid criminal. One fine day, he heads to Mumbai and chances upon the game of Matka and brings it to Vizag. Very soon, he becomes the Matka King only to draw the attention of the Indian government who appoint a special cop(Naveen Chandra) to nab him. Did Vasu save his empire and get away from the crime is the basic story of the film.

What about on-screen performances?

Varun Tej is very good in his role and he is the saving grace of Matka. He gets to play a goon, a don, and a gangster solidly. Varun has given one of the best performances of his career. Aja Ghosh is neat in his role.

Naveen Chandra did not have much to do in the film. Nora Fatehi gets a decent role but is not utilized properly in the narrative. John Vijay is weak as the main villain in the film. He hardly creates any impact in Matka.

Saloni gets a supporting role and does not get even a single dialogue. Meenakshi Chaudhary is there in yet another small role. She appears as the wife of Varun Tej and has only two or three scenes in the film.

The rest of the cast was just about okay.

What about off-screen performances?

Karuna Kumar has directed Matka and his story is routine and does not showcase anything new. His narration is outdated and does not have many thrills that engage. The production values of the film are top-notch. How the bygone era is showcased is superb in the narrative.

The art department needs a pat on the back. GV Prakash is one of the biggest culprits. His songs are bad and even worse was his BGM. He did not give anything worthy in the narrative that elevates the film.

The editing is a big mess as the film is lengthy and boring. The director Karuna Kumar takes forever to enter the main story. So many scenes in the first half could have been edited. There is no main villain in the film and this is the biggest drawback. No one could stop the rise of Varun Tej. This aspect looks bad and does not elevate the conflict point.

When compared to the first half, the second is a tad better. A lengthy scene where Varun mouths a single take scene is amazing but by then it is too late in the film. The emotions hardly connect in the film and this is where Matka goes for a toss.

The crime syndicate is not established properly as the edge of the seat moments are missing. Matka had the story for the drama to be elevated but director Karuna Kumar has made a mess of it.

The ending is also not that great and Varun is the only solace.

What’s Hot.?

Varun Tej’s performance
A few thrills
Production design

What’s Not.?

Routine Story
Lack of strong emotions
Slow pace
Lack of thrills

Verdict:

Overall, Matka is a wasted opportunity by Karuna Kumar. He narrates the film with fewer thrills and the needed emotion is missing in the film. Only Varun Tej is good but he alone cannot salvage the film at the box office this weekend.