’23’ (Iravai Moodu) Movie Review: Rustic, Realistic and Hard-hitting Entertainer (Rating: 3.0)

Movie: 23 (Iravai Moodu)

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Release: 16 May 2025

CBFC Rating: UA

Run-time: 2h 15m

Cast: Teja, Tanmai Khushi, Teja, Jhansi, Pawon Ramesh, Thagubothu Ramesh, Praneeth

Banner: Studio 99, Spirit Media

Cinematography : Sunny Kurapati

Music : Mark K Robin

Dialogues : Indus Martin

Editing : Anil Aalayam

Producer:Venkat Siddareddy

Director : Raj R

The film 23, directed by Raj R, is inspired by real-life incidents and explores the judiciary’s judgments that impact people’s lives. The film draws inspiration from three real-life incidents: the Chundur brutal massacre, the Chilakalurpet bus burning case, and the Jubilee Hills bomb blast case. 23 Film hit the big screens on 16th May.

Plot:

The story revolves around Sagar, a young man who aspires to start his own tiffin center, and his love life with Susheela. However, their relationship takes a drastic turn, forcing Sagar to take an extreme step. The film’s plot is based on real-life incidents, and the director attempts to analyze them on screen. The story focuses on the Chilakalurpet bus burning case, where two people burned innocents alive. What follows next forms the story.

Performances:

The film’s cast delivers decent performances. Teja shines as Sagar, emoting well and expressing himself accordingly. Tanmai Khushi looks good and innocent on screen, impressing all in traditional attire. Pawon Ramesh does well as Sagar’s friend, while Praneeth delivers powerful dialogues and intense expressions as the lawyer. Thagubothu Ramesh makes his presence felt, and Jhansi performs well as the psychologist.

Highlights:

Realistic Feel

Powerful Dialogues

Good Cinematography

Situational Songs

Analysis:

The film highlights the emotions of those arrested for the crime, as well as the victims. The director Raj R raises pertinent questions through hard-hitting dialogues. The film’s second half fares better, with the entry of Jhansi and a cop adding excitement to the proceedings. 23 is a thought-provoking film that raises important questions about justice and morality. While it has its flaws, the film’s realistic feel and powerful dialogues make it worth watching.

The film’s cinematography is good, showcasing the village’s rustic atmosphere in a realistic and natural way. The music is also situational and well-tuned, with the background score syncing well with the storyline. However, the film’s slow pace and docu drama acts as roadblocks. The editing could have been better.

Altogether, 23 is a rustic and realistic entertainer that delivers a powerful message through hard-hitting dialogues. While the film has its moments, the slow pace and incoherent narration impact the overall experience. The film is worth watching for its realistic feel, powerful dialogues, and good cinematography.

Rating: 3/5