Dasari Narayan Rao has scripted a film of the times. The scene is today's pre-election scenario wherein he weaves in a story of two protagonists and the 'politics' bearing some semblance to the current situation in Andhra Pradesh.
Directed by Suresh Krissna, Mestri is a Teulgu film which starts as a simple story of a protagonist taking up the cause of the workers of a shipyard but enlarges into some sort of a 'political drama' between two characters with quite a few digs at Chiranjeevi and his new party. The film has a bit of heavy rhetoric in terms of dialogues and a few meaningful lyrics but its length is certainly a deterrent.
Gopalakrishna (Vijayachander) is a 'Gandhian' who helps workers of the Vizag shipyard get land assigned to them from the Government. But the land belongs to a powerful family who gets it reassigned. Mestri (Dasari Narayan Rao) joins the shipyard as a worker and within a short time, due to his acumen is appointed mestri (leader) by the workers wherein he displaces Chandramohan. He takes up the land issue and gets the land allotted. He also gets bonus for the workers.
The brothers Appalaraju (Sayaji Shinde) and Subbaraju (Pradeep Rawat) who are the owners of the shipyard and the baddies device ways to deny the workers their due including their land. And herein begins the tussle.
There are quite a few sub plots and other characters too.
The first half of the film lays the groundwork and to some extent, builds up the viewers' curiosity as to the enigmatic character of Mestri. The second half, however is really a tedious watch.
The film somewhat peters out when Gopalakrishna decides to enter politics. The last 40 odd minutes slips into a so-called 'political drama', a harangue in parts against Chiranjeevi and his new party. It seems unwarranted and the viewer is forced to sit through this 'person-party' tirade (through Gopalkrishna) which just drags the movie.
At one point one is even forced to think whether this was the reason for making the film and releasing it at this time as it seems to supersede everything thing else. Mestri even talks of fans and road show -- there's a song with some meaningful lyrics about the fan frenzy and why they shouldn't be so.
Dasari puts forth the idea of clean politics to some extent by showing the dirty side and the importance of voting. The shedding of the mask of the 'Gandhian' is done well. But these seem to be bypassed in his effort where he seems to be slightly opinionated even though the movie is hard-hitting in certain portions.
Dasari has done a decent job as an actor, even though he may have been slightly biased in his script. He is able to deliver an emotionally charged performance in some parts. Vijaychander, as the Gandhian, and his volte face is believable.
Mohan Babu is alright in his cameo. For Sayaji Shinde and Pradeep Rawat, such roles are so easy to perform. Srihari is competent in his role.
One has to wait to see if the climate is favourable for Mestri's percolation to the audience in all the centres.
Rediff Rating: