Cheater Movie Review

'Cheater', written and directed by Narayana Barla, was released in theatres this Friday. At a time when entrapments in the name of love have become common, this film is timely. Parupati Srinivas Reddy, who has led the famous SRR Fortune Infra, has bankrolled this well-meaning film. SRR Productions has come out with the film:

Plot:

A young woman is trapped by a womanizer in the name of love. She is cajoled into travelling to Goa with him. What happens when she realizes that her boyfriend is a philanderer who has taken many women for a ride by promising marriage?

The film's plot also involves a road accident in suspicious circumstances. The mystery is chased by the police. The film takes the form of an investigative procedural in those segments.

Performances:

The acting by all the main artists is adequate. Everyone does well within their constraints. In the absence of glamourization, nothing is plasticky in the way the scenes have been staged. The actors adapt to the authentic mood of the film despite their relative lack of experience.

Since most of them are just learning the ropes, it is understandable that their performances are far from perfect. At times, they are amateurish, especially in intense scenes. But the limitations can be overlooked.

Technical Departments:

The cinematography by Govind Babu Cherla is able. Arjun Nallagoppula's music is apt. In the intense scenes, he goes for stylistic music without loudness. The fights by Diamond Venkat are good.

Analysis:

'Cheater' is one word that conjures up a lot of images. In our society, the English word is widely used in multiple contexts for a wide variety of negative characters. Right from womanizers to financial fraudsters and even pickpockets, the term is used very loosely. In the context of the film under review, the term assumes a specific connotation and significance. Talking about it might be a spoiler.

The film means well in the sense that it raises awareness about the modus operandi of malevolent males in our society. Thousands of young women have been financially defrauded and/or emotionally abused by men, who use their ability to dominate in any setting and even in romantic relationships.

Producer Parupati Srinivas Reddy deserves to be commended for coming up with a solid script. He was supported by an able team throughout. The actors and technicians rise to the occasion right from the word go.

Verdict:

The crime thriller with a romantic angle is good to watch. 'Cheater' has the right dose of message and thrills. With no double meaning dialogues and no excessive violence, this is a good family watch.