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'Paandu' proves to be damp squib
By B. Anuradha, Indo-Asian News Service

Film: "Paandu"; Banner: Keerthi Creations; Producer: M.L. Kumar Choudury; Music Director: Devisri Prasad; Director: Deviprasad; Cast: Jagapathi Babu, Sneha, Sayaji Shinde, Venu Madhav, Krishna Bhagwan, Dharmavarapu.

After a dud like "Jagapati", popular actor Jagapati Babu teamed up with young director Deviprasad for "Paandu" but this too has turned out to be a damp squib.

Deviprasad packs his screenplay with routine song-dance sequences, comedy tracks and contrived twists, failing to make a winner out of a valid plot. He has not understood that certain plots demand a realistic approach since a masala screenplay does not always work.

Jagapati's character is poorly etched. The confusion about whether he loves or admires Sneha makes the role even hazier. He does well in a few action sequences but flops as a dancer.

Talented Sneha, who played a similar role in "Venky", tries to breathe life into the role of a TV anchor who faces problems for rebuffing a lecherous minister. Her anguish in jail is convincing.

Hindi actor Sayaji Shinde plays the clichéd role of a villainous minister. Among comedians, Dharmavarapu impresses with a few punchlines while henpecked Krishna Bagwan, yoga-crazy Rao and Venu Madhav try hard to evoke laughs.

Producer Kumar Choudury, who has delivered a series of hits like "Peddababu" and "Andrudu", fails to extract a good screenplay from his director.