Jeevi Rating: 2/5 (Two)
Genre: Family Drama
Cast: Srikanth, Raasi & Malavika
Music: SA Raj Kumar
Story: Ghatikachalam
Screenplay & Direction: Muthyala Subbaiah
Producer: Ramoji Rao
Theatrical Release Date: 23rd March 2001

Story

Siva (Srikanth) is a lorry driver working for an Industrial firm. He is a close buddy of Satish (Sriharsha), who is the brother of the Industrialist for whom Siva is working. Siva accidentally meets up with Lakshmi (Raasi), who is innocent and studious, at a temple. Later on, he comes to know that her father is arranging a marriage against her will. He also realizes that his best friend Satish sincerely loves Lakshmi and wants to marry her. Then Shiva stops the marriage of Lakshmi and abducts her for Satish only to realize later that Satish is a flirt and his intention was to have sex with her but not to marry. When Siva gets Lakshmi back to the marriage podium, people suspect that she is not a clean lady as her cloths are torn. At that time, Siva takes a decision to marry her, since her life was spoilt because of his mistake.

But the father of Lakshmi abandons her. Lakshmi has a younger sister Swetha (Malavika), who stay with her father and takes care of him. Over a period of time, Lakshmi becomes a pregnant and meets her father to tell him the news. But her father detests her and he gets heart attack after facing her. In the process, the heart attack kills him.

The couple (Siva and Lakshmi), unaware of the demise of Lakshmi father, embarks on Tirupati train to leave Hyderabad permanently. In Gudur junction, when Siva goes of the fetch the water, Satish comes from nowhere and locks the door to rape Lakshmi. In this process, Lakshmi grabs the knife and kills Satish. Siva owns up the crime and goes to jail after being sentenced for five years of rigorous punishment. When Lakshmi returns from the jail after visiting Siva, she is subjected to the labor pains as her delivery is due. Swetha puts her into the hospital. She delivers the kid and due to labor pains she expired.

Swetha takes up the onus of raising the kid. At the same time she develops hatred towards Siva. After releasing from the jail, Siva heads to the house of Swetha to get hold of his son. But Swetha refuses to hand him over the kid as she thinks that he is an irresponsible father. Then Siva approaches the court and gets a ruling that the kid belongs to Siva and should stay with him. After a few days, Swetha proposes Siva that he should marry her, as the kid is very fond of her. Swetha and Siva get married. After a few days Swetha applies for a divorce stating that Siva is harassing her and the kid.

After that the film takes a few predictable turns before landing up in a stereotype climax.

Performances:

Artists:

Srikanth: Srikanth does a commendable performance. But his role and it's characterization does not let his acting skills show up.

Raasi: Raasi played the role of sacrificial lamb in this film. She did a nice job too.

Malavika: Malavika, who did a negative role in Chala Bagundi lands up with another negative role in this film. But her characterization in this is not convincing.

Technical Departments:

Screenplay & direction: Muthyala Subbaiah seems to have lost his touch off late. The way he directed this film is haphazard and you cannot expect this kind of lousy job from an experienced director like him. He has chosen a story that is full of sentiments and woven a unrelated and unimaginative comedy track and insipid songs around it. Songs and comedy adds up to the woes of the viewer. Only directors like EVV, Dasari, Kodi and Muthyala Subbaiah are capable of delivering stupid duds like this film though they are experienced.

Production: The participation of the producer ends in Usha Kiron movies, after finalizing the script and director. It is up to the director to make most of the terrific resources given to him. And director could not utilize the opportunity given to him.

Music: Music of this film is a major let down. Only Super Good combines could extract the right kind of music for their films from SA Raj Kumar. Melody is his strength and asking him to deliver fast beat songs is like inviting a major trouble.

Analysis: This film is going to disappoint you even if you go to the film with zero expectations. This films tests the nerves of the visitors like EVV's 'Neti Gandhi', Muthyala Subbaiah's 'Oke Mata', Kodi's 'Panchadara Chilaka' and Dasari's 'Rowdy Darbar'. You can watch this film if you want to know how not to make a Telugu film. This film becomes a major liability to usha Kiron's banner like 'Mechanic Mavayya'. And it turns out to be a bitter gift for Srikanth on his birthday (23rd March).