Double iSmart: Sci-Fi Sequel Fails to Deliver, Struggles with Outlandish Plot

After a flop like Liger, noted director Puri Jagannadh returns with Double iSmart but the sci-fi plot he has chosen is not exciting enough. When he made iSmart Shankar, there was some freshness to the idea of transplanting brain memory between two individuals to protect valid information stored in the mind of a honest CBI officer. The same cannot be said about it's sequel, where dreaded gun lord (Sanjay Dutt) who wants to live forever overcoming brain tumor and urges neuroscientist to find suitable person. Nonetheless, Ram Pothineni back in his element as ruthless and carefree Shankar from old city. He showcases anger, attitude and pain of losing his mother in childhood with consummate ease. He is looting rich and makes a living, while falling in love with Kavya Thapar who stays his next door. His racy dances in songs like Kirkiri and Maarmutha are foot-tapping but he couldn't salvage a contrived story. He also plays a person with multiple personality disorder since Sanjay Dutt memory was transferred to him. He keeps changing personas and confuses people around him. His mother sentiment thing goes overboard a bit. If Puri Jagannadh thought that he could pull off a action film with just hero and villain characterisation and double sim card trick to keep audience engaged, he is bit wrong. Since his script turns outrageous as it harps on South Indians protesting for separate nation and Sanjay Dutt would supply them guns to trigger civil war. Sanjay Dutt in his maiden Telugu movie impresses with his swag, gait and menacing performance. Ali comeback track as tribal fails, while his gestures with stick are vulgar. Unfortunately, heroine Kavya Thapar shows more skin than talent.

The film begins with childhood episode of Ram Pothineni and his mother Jhansi who works as maid. He loves his mother but he loses her and promises to avenge her death. After many years, the film opens in China as Sanjay Dutt is shown killing kung-fu experts for getting into his drug business. Ram is now loots rich with a mask and falls in love with Kavya Thapar. When Sanjay is diagnosed with brain tumor, he is advised memory transfer and few experiments fail before they find Ram Pothineni who is carrying a memory card on his head. He is not easy to get and Sanjay arrives India. Check out in theatre for more

After boxer story, Puri returns with sequel to his sci-fi thriller. But he brings in hypothetical south, north divide story which just goes over the top. He even predicts a civil war in India and it is truly outrageous. He needs to comeback with more relatable and good script since his latest gives double headache to viewers.