Why Pandaga Chesko is just like any other Telugu movie

Pandaga Chesko, roughly translating to enjoy the festivities is simply that; an entertaining mélange of drama, action, romance and a tiny hint of suspense revealed at the interval point, sticking to formula with textbook precision. Big families, old misunderstandings, at least two gangs of baddies, a "chocolate boy" beating up goons - who intimidate with their sickles and switchblade knives or sheer bulk - without breaking into a sweat, and two pretty girls interested in him for different reasons.

We are immediately taken into their lives and figure that the superwoman Anushka aka Sweety played by Sonal Chauhan can negotiate huge business deals with as much aplomb as she can score a goal beating a team of professional rugby players on a whim. Her only problem is her deceased father's will, according to which she could inherit all his assets worth millions of euros provided she marries an Indian and within a month. Enter Kartik, the go-getter, the ultra-confident, the invincible NRI business tycoon, played by Ram Pothineni who would later be instrumental in reuniting various branches of his family on the occasion of his wedding. Talking of which, Anushka comes, proposes and is engaged to him all in a matter of two days, so she can get married and turn heiress. But fate - in this case his mother, actually - has chosen another bride for him. Rakul Preet Singh as the diehard green enthusiast Divya is the vibrant girl next door who can get you arrested and summon the entire local media if you so much as happen to pluck a twig from a tree nearby.

We don't even know when Kartik manages to fall in love with her and the wooing game ensues, involving deliberately raised pollution levels from his chemical factory besides the song and dance. All of this is happening while a fuming Anushka is waiting for him back in Portugal. He is determined to marry Divya for his mother's sake or rather to right some wrongs in her family, dating back a good 25 years. Landing at their ancestral home for his wedding in a village somewhere in Andhra is everyone, including Anushka's man Friday, Weekend Venkatesh with his fetish for shelling out advice, played by Bhramanandam.

There is a generous helping of comedy, the sort that can be expected with Bhramanandam around doing his usual slapstick bit, which doesn't disappoint at all. Occasional sprinkles of humour coming in from the other characters are entertaining too. The music is mostly upbeat, but the interesting locales where the songs are shot score far higher.

If you ignored the occasional stiff-limbed choreography, a sudden flurry of characters crowding nearly all of the second half and some dragged moments, Pandaga Chesko is a watchable mass entertainer, but with a clear sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of dozens of Telugu movies that have treaded this path before.