Hari Hara Veera Mallu Review: Pawan Kalyan’s one-man show that fans will love

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Review: Pawan Kalyan is the heart and soul of the film. Be it is performance, action and dialogue delivery, his fans will love it. However, the second half is a bit dull.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Review

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Story

Hari Hara Veera Mallu is set in the 16th century and tells the story of a desi Robin Hood, Hari Hara Veera Mallu (Pawan Kalyan). He is entrusted with the task of stealing diamonds from the Mughal army. In the process, he gets arrested by the ruler of Hyderabad, who then assigns him an even bigger mission: to steal the prestigious Kohinoor diamond, which is kept in the Red Fort and owned by the mighty Aurangzeb. The rest of the story follows Hari Hara Veera Mallu's efforts to secure the Kohinoor.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Review:

Hari Hara Veera Mallu was originally director Krish Jagarlamudi's brainchild. However, as the shoot got postponed multiple times over three long years, he left the project midway, and Jyothi Krishna, the son of the producer A M Rathnam, completed the film which has a thumping first half, but the second half is a tad dull.

Krish’s story and the way he brings in the Kohinoor angle are set up well in the narrative. The introduction of Bobby Deol as Aurangazeb, Pawan Kalyan's character entry, and the grand visuals grab your attention right away. Director Krish packs the first half with a top-notch narrative, and all the cards fall in place effectively.

The way Pawan Kalyan is portrayed in a folk character, his dialogue delivery, and action sequences, will be loved by fans. The twist given to the female lead, Nidhhi Agerwal’s character, is also thoughtfully executed. The backdrop is ambitious, and MM Keeravani elevates the film to another level with his thumping background score.

That said, the film starts positively in the second half, but once the key scenes that push the story forward are done, things dip drastically. It's quite evident that Jyothi Krishna handled the remaining portions, and with not much left to explore, he simply cuts it into a basic narrative. The emotional depth goes missing, and several scenes feel dragged, with a lack of story progression.

One of the major drawbacks is the tacky VFX, which hampers the visual experience. Despite having ample time, it seems the makers did not focus much on post-production, resulting in subpar effects. The drama that was so strong in the first half is completely absent in the latter.

However, it is Pawan Kalyan who holds the film together. Though there are visible continuity issues and inconsistencies in his look, he keeps the audience engaged with stylized action and solid screen presence. There are plenty of fan moments included that will surely please his die-hard followers. But the lack of an engaging screenplay is where the film falters in the second part. The confrontation scenes featuring Pawan Kalyan and other key characters don’t quite land.

Coming to the performances, Pawan Kalyan is the heart and soul of the film and delivers a standout performance. When it comes to patriotic roles, he’s a pro and brings an electrifying presence. He also choreographed a few action scenes and does not disappoint. Nidhhi Agerwal gets a meaty role and looks beautiful in her royal costumes. Her character has an edge, and she makes the most of it.

Bobby Deol is solid, but it feels like he could have been used better. Nevertheless, his presence adds depth to the proceedings. Nasser, Sunil, Subbaraju, and Kabir Singh do a decent job in their supporting roles.

As said earlier, Oscar-winner MM Keeravani breathes life into the film with his background score. Without his BGM, several scenes would have fallen flat. The production values are top-notch, but the cinematography isn’t as impactful. Due to the rushed shoot, the editing also feels incomplete.

On the positive side, the dialogues, lyrics, and costumes are impressive. The action choreography is neat, with the Charminar fight and Chowkidana sequences well-executed. The way the film is set up for a second part is also handled well. How the film is set up for the second part is also neat.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu is an honest attempt to bring history back to today’s generation. While the backdrop, first half, and Pawan Kalyan’s performance are impressive, the second half could have been much better. However, fans of Pawan Kalyan will have no complaints, as he delivers a standout act.

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Hari Hara Veera Mallu Verdict

On the whole, Hari Hara Veera Mallu is an ambitious period drama that has a great storyline and solid backdrop. The first half is gripping with strong emotions, but the second half doesn’t quite live up but it ends on a positive note. If you can overlook that, the film makes for a decent watch, thanks to its sheer scale and Pawan Kalyan’s one-man show.

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