Shadow - Movie Review

Film: Shadow
Rating: 2/5
Banner: United Movies
Cast: Venkatesh, Tapsee, Srikanth, Madhurima, M.S. Narayana, Naga Babu, Jaya Prakash Reddy, Adithya Menon, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, Mukesh Rishi, Prabhu, Surya, Rao Ramesh, Uttej, Rahul Dev, Srinivas Reddy and Others
Music: S S Thaman
Cinematography: Prasad Murella
Director: Meher Ramesh
Producer: Paruchuri Kireeti
Released On: April 26, 2013

Raghu Ram (Naga Babu) is an investigative journalist killed by mafia don Nana Bhai (Aditya Pancholi) in front of his son Raja Ram (Venkatesh).  Raja Ram escapes the scene and becomes Shadow to take revenge for his father’s death. How Shadow succeeded in his mission forms the crux of the story.


Director Meher Ramesh's earlier film, Shakti, was panned by all critics and it was big dud at box-office. One expected he would learn from his mistakes and work hard to prove everyone that it was one time mistake. But barely 10 minutes into his latest offering Shadow, you can sense that he has not learned from the past and has gone on the same path.

With a storyline as thin as wafer or may be thinner than that, Shadow is nothing but black shadow that really does not have any substance. A seasoned actor like Venkatesh should have thought at least once before acting in a film like this. Well I do not blame Venky much here. What can he do if he is given bad direction and horrible story?

In fact, these kind of movies don't even need a proper review - talking about finer aspects, or delving on how actors have performed or story was presented. The film is utterly bad and watching it is a really an excruciating experience.

So, I won’t talk about the story and other aspects that one generally writes in a review but pour out my anger. It is a plot that has been beaten to death. Movies were made on this plot even before I was born. Six villains and one shadow. Each of them waiting to be killed by the shadow. Nothing novel in this. A leading lady who sizzles with skin show. We barely notice it as the storyline and the movie on the whole has already earned our hatred. A cop who does his duty and other supporting cast, who support the whole charade. At the end, I simply can’t wonder but question, why is this movie made in the first place.

It’s time that Meher Ramesh really focuses on script. Audiences are no fool. You cannot give something like this to them.

The film has its elements like grand locations, high production values, but the main ingredient in this dish is missing, which is a good storyline and engrossing direction. Comedy should have come as a relief, but here it irritates to no end.

It is clearly visible that so much money was spent on the film, locations are on grand scale, and there is certain amount of style too. But does that really matter, when there is no substance… I go with just one and half stars for this film, though I like Venky a lot.

Rating: 2/5