Sarkaru Vaari Paata Movie Review: Mahesh Babu does the heavy lifting to sell this formula film

Director Parasuram Petla’s Sarkaru Vaari Paata starring Mahesh Babu, Keerthy Suresh and Samuthirakani follows a done-to-death template. Mahesh Babu single-handedly shoulders the film.

It has been two long years since Mahesh Babu had a release. While the actor recently made headlines for his ‘Bollywood cannot afford me’ comment, his Telugu film, Sarkaru Vaari Paata hit the theatres today, May 12. Talk about the timing. Did Sarkaru Vaari Paata live up to everyone’s expectations?

Mahesh AKA Mahi runs a loan agency in the US (don’t ask how), after he loses his parents at a young age. He is not just the owner of the company but also doubles as a recovery agent. He stalks debtors to collect his money if they don’t pay on time. One day, he meets Kalaavathi (Keerthy Suresh), who tricks him into loaning her $10,000. It is love at first sight for him. While his friend (Vennela Kishore) warns him about Kalaavathi, Mahi doesn’t care. Because love is blind.

However, he comes to know about Kalaavathi and takes a trip to Vizag to meet her dad, Rajendranath (Samuthirakani). At first, he requests Rajendranath to repay the loan amount that his daughter took. Soon, Rajendranath comes to know that Mahesh has a different agenda. The rest of the story is about Rajendranath, loan scams and the faulty banking system.

In short, Parasuram Petla’s Sarkaru Vaari Paata is a story about bank defaulters. It talks about influential people who escape from repaying their loans. However, it is the poor who suffer humiliation if they are unable to pay a couple of EMIs. Though the topic is quite relevant, the director takes a formulaic approach. Here, Mahesh Babu breaks into monologues about the sufferings of the poor. But, you feel anything but sad hearing the dialogues.

Here's the trailer of Sarkaru Vaari Paata:

Mahesh Babu does all the heavy lifting in selling this clichéd story. After a long time, he has let loose and stepped into a comic role. However ridiculous the dialogues may be, Mahesh Babu has succeeded in selling it. And these are some of the best moments in the film. The same goes for Keerthy Suresh. With a poorly written character, she has done her best to make it look earnest.

Even with Geetha Govindam, director Parasuram Petla took a problematic stance about consent. It is the same with Sarkaru Vaari Paata. In fact, it is Keerthy’s uncle (Subbaraju) and dad, Rajendranath, who let Keerthy be. Even Mahesh Babu’s Mahi tries to moral police her.