There is a good line between the inventive and lump sum bizarre. On paper, Stab Maybe look like an entertaining clock-complex family dynamics, childhood friendship, and a good-distinguished existence thriller. But in execution, it is more than endless testing compared to an immersive film. Written and directed by Venu Sriram, Nitin, Varsha Bolmma, Sapthami Gowda and Lea starring, the film tries to make a lot more, and leaves most of it.
Nithin played Jai, an archer who pursued gold at the World Championship. Their struggle, we have been told, not about fitness or skill, it is emotional item. He accepts childhood friend Chitra (Varsha) about his broken bond with his sister (Lea) and regrets who is weighing her.
Meanwhile, Chitra is clearly a successful entrepreneur, who wins the ‘start-up of the year’. What does his company do? The film does not tell us. On stage, she declares her love for Jai, calling her “more than just a lover”. Logic takes a backseat, and so depths the character.
Thamudu (Telugu)
Director: Shriram Venu
Cast: Nithin, Lea, Varsha Bolma, Sapthami Gowda
Run Time: 154 minutes
Story: An archer who seeks emotional treatment, has to save his sister’s family in the forest, and the time is running out.
Both Jai and Chitra left to find their sister, and when is she Stab Starts its descent in anarchy. Enter a cartoonish villain played by Saurabh Sachdeva, which has just triggered a deadly factory explosion. It is clear from Gate-Go that it was an insurance scam, but the film reveals like a masterstroke.
What is a particularly hatred, which is an audball quirk tagged on it: A childhood accident has damaged her hearing, so it cannot tolerate more than 20 decibels. He lives in a soundproof mansion, surrounded by silent employees, and communicates in a nearby man. It is more absurd than a sinner, and the gimmick soon wear thin. The irony is that the background score of Ajinesh Lokeath is the opposite, such as making for fate elsewhere.
A disgusting tonal shift occurs when the story goes from Visakhapatnam to a lawless forest area on the Andhra-Chhattisgarh border. Jai’s sister, now living under a new identity, stuck with her extended family – was chased by the villain’s men. The survival kills the thriller, and now to help the family safely back to Visakhapatnam and help to give justice to the explosion victims.
There is a fleeting feeling at the end of the post -redemption. Cinematography by KV Guhan, Sameer Reddy and Setu takes advantage of the situation for bringing visual depths, lending some edge to stress. But the argument breaks quickly. For example, why does a family tag in the forest with a heavy pregnant woman, even if for ‘devotional reasons’? To serve only tears filled melodrama and a fire-lit birthting sequence while Jai fought the henchmen. This is all very high.
Sapthami Gowda plays a local role, whose irritable quirks settled in a more purposeful role, carry forward the conspiracy. Another character is purely inspired by money, enhances the play, but again, it is best.
The survival thriller soon comes out of the steam. Jai converted one-person to army-egg uncle, ointment, protector, action hero. While some jungle scenes feel authentic, the poor green screen works elsewhere which is very glued.
After all, even brother -in -law reconciliation and justice arc lose the emotional bridge. Jai has achieved his purpose or the villain is not fun in a camp, exiting a soundproof pod, he just takes out the film. Jai keeps repeating, ‘Go with Flow’, which is inadvertently fun as the film moves forward.
Nithin is honest, but dull script cannot be saved. Laya’s withdrawal return becomes flat due to weak character writing, and while Varsha Bolmma brings her normal spark, this is just not enough.
At one point, a character opens a container and declares, “There is nothing inside.” Someone in the audience said, “EE Cinema-Lo EMI Ledu (there is nothing in this film).” This, unfortunately, is sung.
(The film is running in theaters)
Published – July 04, 2025 02:55 pm IST
