Dora Movie Reviews

Dora Movie Story: Sathya (Sibi Sathya Raj), an inefficient police officer is assigned a special duty to crack the mystery in Dora Puram village near Guntur. People won’t come out at nights after 9PM scared of devil Jackson. As soon as Sathya enters into village, he falls in love with Vijaya (Bindu Madhavi) but her father throws an open challenge to Sathya and Veera (Karunakaran) to reside for one week in the old haunting palatial bungalow located in village outskirts. Whoever survives will win Vijaya. What’s actual story behind this British Palace? Who is Dora (Sathya Raj) and what’s his revenge on British General Jackson? To know this, we have to travel all the way to pre-independence era on big screens.

Dora Artists and Technicians: Largely ‘Dora’ seems to be inspired from ‘Raju Gari Gadi’ success in Tollywood. Premise is almost the same but writer, director Dharani Dharan changed back story adding a patriotic fervor. His screenplay wasn’t efficacious to run 135 minutes long narration. Treatment followed the same age old horror-comedy films with unbelievable episodes. Two men entering into a haunted palace and spooky happenings generating less of fears and more of fun is a rotten formula re-recycled, finally unfolding the mystery. Dharani Dharan’s direction was infirm with repetition of scenes in second half instilled boredom. Of course, 135 minutes is an exhaustive run time. Sashank Vennelakanti dialogues were undernourished. Yuva’s camera work was definitely a savior added with extensive CG. Vivek Harshan’s editing missed the steam in second half. Chinna’s background score was lusterless during the start and picked up as we progressed into main plot. Music director Siddharth Vipin hasn’t got any special touch in songs. Production standards from Ratha Cellulois and Jakkam Jawahar Babu are fine.

About performances, Sibi Sathya Raj tried to pull a long portion of film on single shoulder. He was not as fluent and as robust as his father Sathya Raj. In any way, Sibi needs to improve in emoting the scenes with able body language. Karunakaran stood a main relief with well worked out fun episodes in palace. Bindu Madhavi hasn’t got anything and her devil look is just ok. Sathya Raj comes only during the interval block and steals the show from then on. Neither his makeup nor the characterization resembled a scary devil. The artists who have done British General and his wife, kid were more than foolish. Rest, nothing much to mention.

Dora Rating Analysis: Except the tag of ‘Kattappa Is Back’ and ‘Devil War’ imprinted on posters, there is no way one can at least think about this film. Concept wise, Dharani Dharan’s strategy of pre independence Indian sufferings blended into horror-comedy mould sounds something new. Apparently, the energy or vivacity needed to stimulate or entertain the audience went missing in execution. It might be a mistake to mention... yet the film is full of Arava Paithyam which never impresses us.

The very start off was shaky. Why are explosives hidden inside the palace? Why is Jackson killing the villagers? Many such loopholes have got no proper reasoning. Establishing Sibi Sathya Raj and Bindu Madhavi were also so frail. Comic lines written in these portions are of course a better work. As and when Sibi, Karuna enter into palace, director lost the hold further. When devils start shaking hands to live men, that’s the stupidity at summit! As we draw towards the interval block, Sathya Raj’s introduction raised an excitement.

In no time, second half moves on elaborating a weak and light toned flashback. Then, it’s time for Sibi, Karuna to help Sathya Raj in killing Jackson. From here on, 40-45 minutes of large scale tormenting between Sibi, Karuna, Sathya Raj on one side and Jackson and his soldiers on opposite side begins a never ending war. Climax was an expected drill.

Dora is a complete disappointment with missing logics and believability dominated by substantial Tamil dose hard to absorb. Sathya Raj isn’t the same Kattappa for our guys. He is here to be-head you in theaters with gibber. All in all, ‘Dora’ might not be a perfect pick for horror movie lovers for this weekend eligible to bag a 2 star rating.