Movie: Autonagar Surya

Rating: 2.25/5

Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Samantha, Sai Kumar

Music: Anoop Rubens

Direction: Deva Katta

Studio: Max India Productions

Autonagar Surya: Intense yet Cliched Drama

After seeing many release dates and overcoming umpteen hurdles, Autonagar Surya, starring Naga Chaitanya and Samantha, has finally hit the theatres this Friday.

Story: As the title says, the film is all about Surya (Naga Chaitanya) who aims to make a living in Autonagar. While Surya has lost his parents  when he was four-year-old, his maternal uncle and family abandoned him as his mother opted for inter-caste love marriage against their wishes. Surya grows up on himself spending his childhood on the streets. 

Performance: Chaitanya's performance as Surya stands out. Chaitu, who hasn't done such role before, proved his critics wrong by donning a role with grey-shade. Samantha once again seen as Maradalu. She excelled in her less-screen-space role.

Analysis: Tollywood has very few directors who make story-driven films. Director Deva Katta, who is the auteur of films like Vennela and Prasthanam had this reputation. That's past now. His third and latest directorial venture Autonagar Surya might not take his image forward, if the film is anything to go by. 

Blame writer-director Deva for choosing a noodle-thin and age-old plot. Set in a hassle-locale of Autongar, the film has all the cliches- ruled by mafia, hero dares and defies them and finally wins over them and his heroine. Autonagar Surya has few resemblances with 'Bommarillu' Bhaskar's previous disaster 'Ongole Githa' which was set in a Mirchi yard. Yes, perhaps, Deva Katta might have written this script far before Bhaskar's Ongole Githa. But comparisons can't be avoided as the latter film was released first. 

Veering towards ANS, Deva Katta has literally squandered all his talents into the film without an order. He has put all his eggs into one basket and the result is Autonagar Surya. Frankly, none has expected such lame, linear screenplay from Deva. Samantha-Chaitanya's love track could have been conceived well. Dialogues by Deva are witty and well-written. Although they appear heavy, few of them strike a chord instantly. 

Highlights:

1. Intense action sequences

2. Music, background score

3. Deva Katta's dialogues

Drawbacks:

1. Dragging narration

2. Noodle-thin plot

3. Overplay of violence

4. Samantha-Chaitu's romance episode

Tag line: Definitely, not worth the long-wait