Tata Birla Madhyalo Laila: Tasteless comedy

Cast: Sivaji, Laya, Krishnabhagawan, Tanikella, Jeeva, Padmanabham and others. Music: Srilekha. Direction: Srinivasa Reddi.

Review:

Though there is a mandatory director for the film, he appears to be a washed away in the colorless and senseless story line. The screenplay is so confusing, that you fail to understand what the narrator wants to tell. The rest is lost in name sake comedy which is nothing but vulgar. Moreover the title characters Tata and Birla played by Sivaji and Krishna Bhagawan start off as petty thieves and remain so till the end and even prepare towards the end to kill the heroine Mahalakshmi (Laya). They would have completed the job, but for realizing that Mahalakshmi (Laya) is in a pitiable situation and she is also in love with Tata (Sivaji). The story writer explains, in a confused situation, that Tata and Birla are short forms of long names they are given by their parents.

Better we forget about what the narration is and watch only comic scenes which are made out as comedy of errors. Who is the villain? Gajapathi (Tanikella) whom, Mahalakshmi addresses as her ‘Father’. He is the care taker of the vast property of Mahalakshmi’s parents, who died quite early, leaving their daughter to the care of this Gajapathi. Funniest part is that this Gajapathi employs Tata, the very lover of the girl to kill her. There are some more comical villains created just for fun, who include Jeeva and his stooge Ali. As if these rougue characters are not enough the story brings into picture a hired killer from Mumbai. All these characters render the narration more idiotic narration. Watch the way the Tata and Birla pair plan their ways to kill Mahalakshmi – you will be driven into a mad, mad, mad world. And the last sequence also brings in two child characters- a girl and boy with a pistol in hand. The Mumbai ‘s hired killer places his pistol in the hands of the girl and teaches her how to shoot Mahalakshmi from a distance. But the pistol changes hands and goes into the hands of the boy. In the end Mahalakshmi is hit badly but is saved by a doctor in the hospital, only to go into the embrace of Tata, that is Sivaji to give a happy end.

There is a message too, imparted to us as a small lecture Mahalakshmi gives in the opening scenes against child labor. She also donates blood in another scene. There is a pack of sidekicks too, who serve us with more foolish gags. It is a pity that the film makers go for such idiotic theme even in these days of changing world of Telugu cinema. Srilekha prides in giving a few stale tunes calling them mass entertainment. Then what about the changing face of Laya who is a back number these days. It appears that her husband has permitted to act again. Taking this as advantage she seems to have turned bolder to go in for some intimate tight-embracing scenes with Sivaji. The rivalrly is more shown in verbal challenges. Tata –Birla adventures too are limited to looting men and houses, as if they are looting a Super market (in their own words). M.S.Narayana is reduced to a ‘marriage broker’. Ali plays villainy camouflaging himself as a woman named Laila, after whom three men including Birla run, to draw her attention and love. You can imagine what kind of scenes would result with man falling after another man in the garb of a woman. Brahmanandam plays police SI contributing to some more crackish farce.