Review: Autonagar Surya - plot falls flat

The much-awaited political thriller Autonagar Surya finally released in theatres after a series of delays due to financial reasons. Directed by Deva Katta, the movie doesn't live up to the wait and blows hot and cold.

While fans of the Akkineni family are in for a treat as Naga Chaitanya stars in a dynamic role with power-packed action sequences and punch dialogues, the film is let down by its slow paced narration and predictable plot line.

Set in a small town called Autonagar, the film revolves around Surya (Naga Chaitanya), a skilled mechanic who is orphaned at the age of four. He falls in love with Sirisha (Samantha) who almost immediately reciprocates the same feelings.

Surya, along with a group of friends runs a garage with a dream of developing a car that runs on battery. However, their lives take a dramatic turn when the garage is attacked by a bunch of goons looking to seize the business.

Surya retaliates and kills one of them, and is soon arrested for murder at the age of 16. When he comes out of jail five years later, he returns to a completely changed Autonagar, which is completely under the control of politicians and the mafia. How he fights against injustice to save the town makes for the rest of the story.

The director brilliantly captures the murky politics and the ruthlessness of the mafia. Music by Anoop Ruben is top-notch and clearly is one of the best parts of the film.

The visuals too are well captured and is a fresh break from typical foreign locales which Southern filmmakers tend to opt for. The movie is packed with powerful dialogues, which adds to the impact.

Srikanth Naroj's cinematography is first rate. Autonagar Surya though is let down by its sluggishly paced narration, especially in the first half. The viewer just waits for things to pick up.

Also, too many villains and pointless fight sequences confuse the viewers and takes the sheen away from the actual story. Gautham Raju's editing is poor and the movie seems to be drag on.

Comedy too seems forced and hardly provides the much needed laughs. The climax is predictable and abrupt and leaves the viewers perplexed.

The movie is completely shouldered by Naga Chaitanya, who does a decent job in a dynamic, larger-than-life role. The actor, however, still comes off as expressionless at times and is unconvincing in action sequences. Samantha is wasted in an inconsequential role and is hardly given any screen space to shine, save for a couple of scenes and songs.

Brahmanandam, as always, is hilarious in his brief role. Ajay does a decent job as the bad guy, while Rakul Preet Singh provides glamour with an item song.

Overall, Autonagar Surya is meant for die-hard fans of Naga Chaitanya. The film entertains with its action sequences, dialogues and music, yet disappoints with its predictable plot line. Watch it if you're a Naga Chaitanya fan.