Suvarna Sundari Review, Rating

Suvarna Sundari stars Jayaprada, Poorna, Sakshi in lead roles. Also featuring Indra, Raam, Sai Kumar, Kota Srinivas, Muktharkhan, Nagineed, Sathya Prakash, Avinash, the film is produced by S Team Pictures. Producer ML Lakshmi and director MSN Surya released the movie today.

Story:

The story is partly set in the 15th Century when a powerful idol of a Goddess was named Suvarna Sundari. When supernatural evil possesses the idol, destruction, and catastrophe ensue. Whole kingdoms are destroyed. Whoever holds the idol will behave like a demon. 

Anjali ('Avunu' fame Purna) gets hold of the idol without knowing fully about its effects. She turns malevolent and kills her own husband and father-in-law. In order to save her daughter Visalakshi (Jayaprada) from her own wrath, Anjali commits suicide along with the idol. However, by a quirk of fate, the same Anjali is reborn a few years later. When the same idol resurfaces in the present, Anjali must prevent further destruction. But can she? What if she turns uncontrollably violent? What is the role of a cop named Guna (Sai Kumar) in averting further crisis? How is a warrior princess (Sakshi) linked to all this?

Performances:

Purna is one of the ablest female actors. She may have taken some missteps, but she never fails. In 'Suvarna Sundari', Puna is engaging in two contrasting parts. Sakshi is superb in the flashback episodes. As for the seasoned senior actress Jayaprada, she is flawless. She shows grace and brings dignity to her intense character. Her performance in the climax is awesome.

Dialogue King Sai Kumar shows so much ease in the role of a diligent police officer. Kota Srinivas Rao as a Church father, Nagineedu as a Rajguru, Avinash as a King are very apt.  

Technical Departments:

Composer Sai Kartheek has done nearly 75 films in his long career spanning more than a decade. Editor Prawin Pudi does a good job once again after the recent Ravi Teja-starrer Dhamaka'. Cinematographer Eshwar Yellumahanthi does the challenging part of capturing a wide variety of landscapes.

Analysis:

The idol of a Goddess is shown to bring prosperity and joy in our movies. 'Suvarna Sundari' turns this idea upside down to build mystery and tension. Director MSN Surya does so without resorting to cheap tricks or ideas. He doesn't offend anybody and makes the audience buy into the unconventional premise.

The first half, however, has got pacing issues. The staging of the first act has no hiccups. However, later on, pacing issues crop up. Thankfully, the second half is tight. This is also where the plot points engage in a full-blown mode. The pre-climax and climax scenes are strong. Thanks to efficient visuals, the viewer's experience is enhanced.

The backstory concerning the Suvarna Sundari character is established thoroughly. The audience get an edge-of-the-seat experience. 

Verdict:

This film has so many merits. Watch it!