Film: Gopi Gopika Godavari
Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Venu Thottempudi, Kamalini Mukherjee, Jeeva, Krishna Bhagawan, Sana, Kondavalasa etc
Story: Sankaramanchi
Choreography: Swarna Babu
PRO: Tradeguide Venkateswara Rao
Editing: Paidireddy
Dialogues: Padala Siva Subrahmanyam
Music: Chakri
Lyrics: Rama Jogayya Sastry
Producer: Valluripalli Ramesh
Direction: Vamsi
Released on: 10th July 2009

The name Vamsi has energy in Tollywood. And that proved again with the thumping openings for this film almost everywhere across the state. And the element ‘Godavari’ is something close to the hearts of Telugus and that is another add-on factor for this film that came with interesting title ‘Gopi Gopika Godavari’. Let us see how it worked out.

Story:
Gopika (Kamalini Mukherjee) is a doctor who serves patients in villages on the banks of River Godavari on a mobile hospital. Shyam Prasad, another young doctor gets inspiration from her to run the mobile hospital in his place. He also proposes her to marry but she postpones it citing some professional goals. Meanwhile Uma, a friend of Gopika studying in Hyderabad, commits suicide and that incident makes Gopi (Venu), a stage singer, get acquainted to her. They never meet but only keep in touch on phone. As and when they try to meet each other some problem arises and they remain unseen to each other.  Finally they meet but in an unexpected situation still unknown to each other!!How that situation would arise?  What happens from then? That has to be watched on screen.

Performances:
Hero-Venu:
His role is a bit passive and hence he has got no big scope to show his histrionics. His confidence has fallen down to some extent and while delivering a few dialogues that proved evident.

Heroine-Kamalini:
She looked very mundane in some scenes. Is she the one who acted in Anand and Godavari? Exclaimed a few in the theatre, watching her pale looks and glow less skin. She also proved dull in performance with mismatch in lip sync and dialogue. She looked unconvincing and tasteless while giving some expressions. She has to work out on all the aspects those are required for a heroine.  Otherwise she will be pushed to recycle bin by the industry.

Others:
Krishna Bhagawan-Sana comedy appeals for a set of audiences. Kondavalasa is routine and others have done their duty as required.

Technical Departments:
Cinematography is ok to some extent and caliber is shown during ‘night effect’ mode. Dialogues are ok in humor part but proved heavier and life less in melodrama and serious scenes. Art department also deserves a mention as it has worked enough to meet the requirements of director at a very small budget. Other faculties have got no noticeable aspect to underline. Story is outdated, screenplay is passive and direction is not in tune with present day audiences.

Music and Lyrics:
Music enthralls the audiences with pleasant Vamsi-Chakri trademark. Even the item song has got the lyrical stuff. The songs ‘Nuvvakkadundi…’ has received whistles in theatres when it started. That shows the popularity bagged by this song among masses. Similarly ‘Go Go Rai Rai’ also got enough applause. Chakri has proved again with his melodious and long lasting tunes.

Highlights:
Ramajogayya Sastry’s lyrics
Chakri’s music
Krishna Bhagawan’s dark humor

Disappointment:
Storyline
Second half treatment

Analysis:
The best part in the movie that pulled crowds to packed theatres is the music and lyrical value in it. And the equally best part is the name Vamsi as Director. But the expectations haven’t reached the mark. Vamsi relied more on maintaining his trademark etiquettes in direction than on story line. The obsolete line couldn’t gel well with any of the audiences. Every common viewer can easily guess what is going to be shown in second half at interval bang. That has made the graph of enthusiasm touch ‘zero’ at the end.

The only saving grace in the movie is Krishna Bhagawan’s comedy and even that would appeal only for dark humor lovers. First half of the movie takes off on an interesting note but slowly the packet becomes loose and there would be nothing to conceal by the time of intermission.

This is not a film to be made for the audiences those have got habituated to straight screenplay after watching hundreds of movies.

It proves to be a below average outcome even in liberal viewing considering the required standards to entertain or hook the contemporary audiences.

Bottom line: An outdated story with beaten screenplay that sparsely appeals for audiences