“Rechipo” starring Nitin and Illeana is a perfect example of the word “cliché”. This action-love-family entertainer tries so hard to make the audience believe that it’s a genuine film that it dugs up its own grave in the end. Directed by Paruchuri Murali, “Rechipo” narrates the story of an intelligent robber with a cricket-betting mafia backdrop.

What is it about : Nitin stars as Siva, a modern day Robinhood who steals money from the rich and distributes it among the poor, orphans. When a police team (led by Bhanuchander) nabs a mafia gang member, his confession about the presence of cricket betting and black money forces the team to report it to the Home Minister (Ahuti Prasad). Siva steals this black money and to escape from Police he befriends an old lady and accompanies her to a wedding. Krishnaveni (Illeana) meets Siva in this wedding and after some petty fights; they realize that they are in love. The one fine day, it’s revealed that Siva is a thief and Kishnaveni is heartbroken. The rest of the story is about how Siva woos Krishnaveni and how the mafia gets involved in the middle of all this action.

What is Good: “Rechipo” is a mediocre film for Illeana especially after a film like “Kick”. However, she does a good job in justifying her role as a girl who’s confused about her decisions. The film has enough number of songs and scenes which solely survive on her “glamour” appeal. Sunil and Suman Shetty’s combo as aspiring directors is hilarious. M S Narayana evokes some laughter as a PA who can predict incidents. The first half is decent with a good comedy track.

What is bad: Nitin’s misfortune continues with “Rechipo”, although he tries to put on a sincere performance. The hasty dialogues and monotonous expressions never seem to leave him. The story tries to narrate a love story with a family backdrop and suddenly it becomes an action film with a mafia backdrop in second half. This discontinuity in narration doesn’t go too well with the audience; further it leaves them too confused to understand what they are watching. Shawar Ali’s debut as villain is disappointing. He spends more time praising the hero than fighting against him. Raghu Babu’s comedy track as “Zimbabwe” is boring. The climax of the film is a big let down. There’s lot of action in the climax, but it’s so poorly choreographed that it gives the impression of a “C” grade film.

Technical Departments: Mani Sharma’s music is pretty good. The songs are good to listen when they are watched on screen; however they fail to make a strong impact. Editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao is alright and so is the cinematography by Surendar Reddy. Paruchuri Murali should have worked more on getting his story right. A film on cricket betting and mafia could have been interesting if the story was about cricket. However, Murali adds so much of unnecessary drama that the crux of the movie is forgotten. Screenplay in the second half could have been better. Murali’s direction is good in first half, but falters in second when the story switches into an action film.

Bottomline: First half is decent and perhaps the only saving grace. The second half of the film has been shot extensively in the desert across UAE which could have been avoided. Neither the scenes are interesting nor do the locations cause any excitement. “Rechipo” reminds you of “Athadu” in the first half; however it completely lacks the charm of that film. There is nothing new in this story, it is similar to any other love story set in Rayalaseema backdrop. “Rechipo” is yet another example of how clichéd and repetitive Telugu films have become. This film sends a strong message that a mere change in cast and location doesn’t ensure success. The climax of the film is so bad that it ensures that you leave the cinema hall with a grin. It deserves to be sent to the “Razzies”! The film may have been titled “Rechipo” but a title like “Nidhrapo” would have been more apt!