Review : Backbench Student – Slow and Boring
Back-Bench-Student Release date : 15 March 2013
123telugu.com Rating :1.75/5
Director : Madhura Sreedhar
Producer : MVK Reddy
Music Director : Sunil Kashyap
Starring : Mahat Raghavendra, Pia Bajpayee, Archana Kavi

Director Madhura Sreedhar’s ‘Backbench Student’ is releasing today across the world. The movie has Mahat Raghavendra, Pia Bajpayee and Archana Kavi in lead roles. The movie is based on a real life story. Sunil Kashyap has composed the film’s music and Prasad G.K. has handled the camera. Let us see how the movie is.

Story :

The story of ‘Backbench Student’ revolves around Karthik (Mahat Raghavendra), Priyanka (Archana Kavi) and Chaitra (Pia Bajpayee). Karthik is a carefree youngster who does not take his education very seriously. As a result, he is left with 16 backlogs at the end of his engineering course. He has a romantic relationship with his classmate Priyanka. After graduation, Priyanka is forced by her dad to pursue M.S. in USA. This brings about a rift in the relationship with Karthik.

Meanwhile, Karthik’s parents (Sharath Babu and Pragathi) come to know about the backlogs and all hell breaks loose at home. A desperate Karthik now looks for a job to support himself. He happens to be a talented ethical hacker and he tries to put this skill to use. Chitra walks into Karthik’s life at this point and helps him secure a job.

Karthik and Chitra get romantically involved and just as their relationship is about to take off, Priyanka comes back from the US in search of Karthik. What happens to this triangle love story? Who ends up with whom? That is the story of ‘Backbench Student’.

Plus Points :

Pia Bajpayee looks cute and she has given a neat performance in this movie. Archana Kavi is good as the ‘girl next door’. Sharath Babu, Banerjee and Pragathi have delivered in a dignified manner.

Ali’s comedy track as an incompetent Project Manager brings much needed relief.

Minus Points :

‘Backbench Student’ is a badly made film. After a promising start, the film just nosedives and never manages to recover. The story is very predictable and screenplay goes for a big toss.

Mahat Raghavendra is a big minus for the film. His expressions are very wooden and his performance lacks conviction. A badly written character and some poor lines make matters worse. There is no spontaneity or chemistry in the romantic tracks and most of the scenes fail to register emotionally.

The movie’s climax is very bad and scenes have been needlessly stretched out. I never expected to see Brahmanandam in an irritating role, but that is precisely what has happened here. HIs character’s name is ‘Kareena Kapoor’ and his cell phone contact list has names like Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan etc! It is not funny. The character does not gel with the storyline at all.

Visuals go for a toss. Bad cinematography and poor choice of colours take the life out of the viewing experience.

Another big issue is with the areas of background score and re-recording. When a punch dialogue or a witty one liner is delivered, background score must do what its name suggests – stay in the background. Here, the loud background score just drowns out the dialogues.

Technical Aspects :

As I already mentioned, Prasad G.K’s cinematography is bad. There are many scenes where the focus is not sharp enough. Editing by Dharmendra (of Prasthanam fame) is surprisingly mediocre. Sunil Kashyap fails to make an impression as a music director.

Madhura Sreedhar disappoints in the direction and screenplay departments. He showed promise in his debut film ‘Snehageetham’ , but he has not been able to replicate that work again

Verdict :

Backbench Student is a badly executed and painfully slow movie. Poor writing, wooden performances and an irritating climax spoil the viewing experience.

123telugu.com Rating – 1.75/5

Reviewed by Mahesh S Koneru

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