Veeranjaneyulu Vihara Yatra: A Sunstroke of a Road Trip
What was expected to be a memorable road trip titled “Veeranjaneyulu Vihara Yatra” (A Pleasurable Journey) turned out to be more like a road trip that gives you a sunstroke. The title itself is questionable, as the film lacks the feel and flow of a pleasant journey. It presents the same burnt-out problems with the same solutions and features characters that feel extinct.
An Outdated Story on a Wrong Trip
This is a very old and outdated story with forced elements added to it. It feels like a cassette tape from another movie has been inserted into this road trip setting. Because of this, not just the cassette, but the road trip itself becomes a “wrong trip.” The film starts with Guruji planning to use his retirement money to buy a house near a Goa beach, while his son keeps his ashes at home. A road trip is then planned for the ashes. Initially, Guruji’s voiceover creates some anticipation, but the trip is immediately derailed by poor resolutions and answers, leading to an accident right at the beginning.
Problems of a Different Class
Aside from the Goa setting and the vehicle, the problems and decisions of the characters are reminiscent of daily television serials. The family is described as middle class, yet they own a house near a beach in Goa, a vintage van for a road trip, another house in Vizag, and have friends who can invest money at a moment’s notice. This portrayal feels inconsistent. If they are to be considered middle class, even within a wealthier league, the problems should be relatable to that context. Instead, the film presents unrelated issues and labels them as middle-class problems, ultimately frustrating the viewer. For problems to be felt, they need to be natural and their solutions should not be readily available. Here, all solutions seem openly accessible, which makes the issues feel insignificant to the audience.
Forced Conflicts and Artificial Emotions
Instead of being a feel-good trip, the journey is filled with bumps in the road, created by forced conflicts and TV serial-like sentiments. The emotional elements in the film come across as very artificial and nothing feels natural. It seems as though certain dialogues and scenes exist only to set up the next artificial moment, resulting in a fake-feeling experience. The script feels confused, as if it can’t decide whether it’s for a movie or a TV serial. Furthermore, Guruji’s voiceover is not utilized properly; after being featured at the start, it disappears as the film gets lost in its serial-like drama.
Performances and Technical Aspects
Performance-wise, Naresh has done a good job, and the remaining cast is also good. Seeing Guruji, Brahmanandam, whether in his cartoon form at the beginning or in person at the end, brings an instant smile. The music is cool and provides some relief, and the camera work is also nice.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, this “Vihara Yatra” feels more like a journey through a heatwave. The film fails to create a connection with the viewer. The movie is currently streaming on ETV Win. For those interested, it contains no adult scenes or bad language.
