Movie review 'Yamaleela 2': Mohan Babu gives out an impressive performance

Director: SV Krishna Reddy

Cast: Mohan Babu, Brahmanandam, KV Satish, Rao Ramesh and Ashish Vidhyarthi

Rating: 2.5 stars

Veteran director SV Krishna Reddy is back to direction after a five-year break with ‘Yamaleela-2’. This is another social-fantasy film based on Lord Yamadharmaraju. The same director who made ‘Yamaleela’ a blockbuster, twenty years ago with Lord Yama as the main character and now he chooses his comeback film ‘Yamaleela 2’ with the same character as the centre point. So the expectations are high from this film. Satish and Dia Nicholas are making their debut as the lead pair.

The story goes like this. Lord Yamadharmaraju (Mohan Babu) and his assistant Chitragupta (Brahmanandam) stop at Manasasarovaram on their way to Bhoolokam (earth). Lord Yama goes deep inside the lake and doesn’t come out for fifteen days. His assistant Chitragupta can’t wait for the God and he too goes inside the lake to search for the Yama. Before he goes inside he gives the most important book Bhavishayavani (Future) to Krish (Satish). When they come out of the lake, Krish disappears with the book. Without the book both Yama and Chitragupta are powerless. On the other hand Krish is a doctor and in search of a medicine to save his niece from the disease Leukemia. When he opens the book, he is shocked as he finds out something about his future. There are a few bad guys who are trying to kill Krish if he discovers the new medicine, it will harm their pharmaceutical business. What Krish finds in the book, how he saves the girl and did Lord Yama get back his book becomes the crux of the story.

It’s not an easy job for director SV Krishna Reddy as one can compare this film with his earlier ‘Yamaleela’. While he chooses a mother sentiment in the first one, in this film he comes up with a little girl who is preparing for a music reality show, but at the same time suffering with a disease. While the sentiment worked out in the first one, the director fails to come out with the same in this film. Here the problem is the director stuck to the old formula and came out with some outdated jokes. Also the narration is a little bit slow and the scenes with Punjabis seem too unnatural. The graphic work is so good and features some beautiful locations like the Yamalokam and the Himalayas. The first song where Sada appears has been shot beautifully and the actress too looks glamorous.

When it comes to performance it is Mohan Babu who steals the show with his impressive performance as Lord Yama. He and Brahmanandam actually carry the film on their shoulders. Mohan Babu is known as the best for dialogues and in this film too he delivers with ease. Debutant Satish also looks great in the film. However if he had done his home work, he would’ve come up with a good show, but as a debutant he is okay. Dia also debuts as the female lead and looks stunning but has nothing much to offer. Rao Ramesh is his usual best, while Sayaji Shinde and Ashish Vidyarthi have played their part as baddies. Thagubothu Ramesh’s character is a waste and irritates you. Posani appears in a comic role in the second half and he does his best.

The music is good at parts and the film is a visual treat with good graphics and cinematography. Finally, the film lacks freshness with the slow narration and when compared to its prequel, ‘Yamaleela 2’ is no match to it. We suggest you watch it only for Mohan Babu’s impressive performance.