'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' is Nani's 31st film and is ostensibly his biggest gamble. 'Dasara' was an actioner tinged with heavy-duty emotions, yes. But Nani31 is a bigger project in terms of scale and span. DVV Entertainment wouldn't have gone in for the project had it not been massive in scale at a time when it has become synonymous with event films (read 'RRR') and tentpole actioners (read Pawan Kalyan's 'OG').
The Natural Star is a supreme acting talent without a doubt. 'Dasara', which was raw and gritty, wouldn't have worked but for his acting prowess. But expectations from 'Dasara' were not humongous for the reason that it was a love story and a revenge subject. On the other hand, 'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' will be compared to pan-India spectacle movies, especially if the rumour that it is a superhero movie is true.
What makes 'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram' all the more of a gamble is the fact that its director, Vivek Athreya, is untested in other languages. His previous film, 'Ante Sundaraniki', was a flop even in Telugu.
Indian cinema is waking up to the reality of staging unconventional genres. Even Prashanth Varma's 'Hanu-Man' combines super-hero movie elements with entertainment. In 'Saripodhaa Sanivaaram', Nani goes wild every Saturday. Let's hope the film goes wild at the box-office on whichever Friday it hits the cinemas.
