Credits
Banner: PVP Cinema
Cast: Nagarjuna, Karthi, Tamanna, Shriya, Anushka, Jayasudha, Prakash Raj, Ali, Tanikella Bharani, Gabriella Demetriades, Late Kalpana, Nora Fatehi etc
Cinematography: PS Vinod
Editor: Madhu
Music: Gopi Sundar
Dialogues: Abburi Ravi
Production Design: Sunil Babu
Art: Vaishnavi Reddy
Adapted Story: Vamshi Paidipally, Solomon, Hari
Choreography: Raju Sundaram & Brinda
Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry & Ramajogayya Sastry
Producers: Param V. Potluri & Kavin Anne
Screenplay & direction: Vamsi Paidipally
Release date: March 25th, 2016
Context and thoughts: Hattrick for all 3 people, red hot off Sankranthi 2016 and first big movie to release that summer. Teaser gave full positive vibes and then trailer was superb. Karthi and Vamshi came to MEK to promote the film. Movie came out and had blockbuster talk as a feel good movie. Watched it on OTT and it was amazing. Such a great film. Rewatch it was ok. Oopiri is a film that is a one time watch to feel those emotions and experience for the first time. I’m not sure you can feel it again. Karthi performance carries the movie and is the most entertaining part.
Interesting Facts: https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/postmortem/oopiri.html
Acting: Karthi telugu debut and he delivered a knockout performance. The highlight of the movie.
Nagarjuna acting in a wheelchair is excellent. Entirely depends on expression. Same charm, charisma, and screen presence even in a wheelchair.
Tamannah has never looked prettier and does he role very well as the attractive secretary. Prakash Raj is dignified as Nag’s friend and the paint thread is the best.
Kalpana Garu is superb. Ali is hilarious and Jayasudha Garu is excellent as usual. The girl who plays Karthi’s sister is also MB’s sister in Srimanthudu.
Tanikella Bharani has a negative role which turns good later on.
Gabriella Demetriades, Anushkha and Adivi Sesh have cameos.
Writing/Direction: Official adaption of The Untouchables. Done perfectly and adapted to telugu sensibilities brilliantly. The thread of Karthi and Tamannah actually in original they don’t get together but to add masala and romance as commercial element its a great payoff. Paint thread is brilliant. And writing is fantastic throughout. Due to the nature of the content, it’s not mass masala, its more a drama but Karthi character is specifically created to entertain all sections of the audience.
Favorite scenes: Tammanah asks Karthi to do him a favor, Nagarjuna surprise birthday party, entire paint thread, Tanikella Bharani mass warning scene in most class way, Karthi reconciling with Jayasudha, Nagarjuna letting Karthi go, and Nag meeting anusha. All heart touching, hilarious, and beautiful moments.
One such movie where the title justifies the content lmao. It’s actually about life. Has ups and downs but at the end of the day, we are living it.
Technicalities: Music and BGM by Gopi Sundar is excellent. All of the songs are written by Sirivennela and Ramajaoggaya Sastry, one of the greatest combos in Telugu cinema. All of them are superb. My favorite songs are Baby Aagodu, Oka Life, Eppudu. Ayyo Ayyo is a stunner with Karthi and Tamannah chemistry.
Cinematography by PS Vinod is masterclass. One of my favorite DOP and he lit up Paris and Hyderabad in all their glory. The framing, visual brilliance, lighting, everything is perfect. Vinod mass.
Production Design by Sunil Babu is fantastic. The movie maintains the class difference perfectly. All of Nagarjuna’s scenes are shown as ultra rich, while all of Karthi’s scenes reflect his struggling nature. Whatever setting the scene demanded, it was there.
Overall: Oopiri is a beautiful and refreshing take on life. Karthi, Nagarjuna, and Tamannah are aptly supported by the excellently adapted script and emotions. But as said before it might one of those films you can only watch in it’s entirety once. But the comedy scenes and entertainment generated by Karthi is life long I felt.
