Mario Review: Hebah Patel's film is a quirky crime comedy with a glamorous twist

Mario Story

The film is set against the backdrop of a drug mafia in Hyderabad. A drug lord (Rakendu Mouli) targets a popular actress, Hebah (Hebah Patel), and secretly injects a bizarre new drug that causes three strange side effects. Trapped and blackmailed, the actress is compelled to distribute drugs within the industry. Left with no choice, Hebah seeks the help of a man named Anirudh (Anirudh Srinivasta) and his special car, Mario, to carry out the operations. How does Hebah come out of this mess? What are the three side effects? And does she manage to overcome her drug addiction? This forms the core of the film's story.

Mario Review

Mario brings back Hebah Patel into the game in a brand-new avatar. She has lost oodles of weight and plays a star heroine in the film directed by Kalyanji Gogana. If you watch the trailer, the concept looks different; one gets a feeling that the film is yet another crime comedy. But the manner in which the drug mafia and the three side effects of drug abuse are showcased is quite interesting.

The film banks heavily on comedy and thrills, and it impresses for the most part. The manner in which the story and characters are introduced is wacky, but it looks interesting. The issues that the actress goes through while supplying drugs in the industry are handled well by the director. There are a few romantic scenes that attract the youth, but the characters, who are loud and created for entertainment, do their job.

The character of Rakendu Mouli as the drug lord and his dialogue delivery are handled in a good way. The tension that the character of Hebah Patel goes through and the way the character of the car Mario is designed bring a novelty factor to the film.

The interval bang and pre-climax have been handled quite well in the setup. Crime comedies have a basic storyline, but here in Mario, things are different, as the comedy is organic, and there is no beating around the bush when it comes to bold scenes.

The film does not preach much and narrates what it wants to. However, the screenplay goes for a toss in the latter half of the film when the director runs out of ideas after the interval bang. This part is narrated with scenes that only drag the narrative for a while. If the emotional quotient had been strong from the heroine's perspective, things would have been even better.

Also, more sympathy should have been showcased through Hebah Patel's character. The tension and guilt that she goes through should have been elevated even more for things to work better. Apart from this, there is nothing novel being showcased here, but the fun part is handled well.

Coming to the performances, Hebah Patel is back, and how. She is known as a glamorous star and gives her fans what they expect from her. The way she has transformed herself and looks fit and gorgeous is a perfect fit for her role. Also, her performance has improved by leaps and bounds when compared to her previous films.

Rakendu Mouli is one of the highlights of the film. His character grows on you slowly, and when it does, he creates solid comedy. His character elevates the comedy and thrill to a decent level. Anirudh Srivatsa is also neat in his role and plays a supporting act to Hebah Patel. Kalpika also gets a good role, and she does well in the setup.

The production values are quirky, and the drug mafia created looks interesting. Sai Karthik has composed the music, and his BGM is quite peppy and elevates the setup well. The dialogues are neat, and the editing is not that great. But the director, Kalyanji, manages to narrate things in a way that the film attracts the youth.

Mario Verdict:

On the whole, Mario is a new-age crime comedy that has a weird setup that takes time to grow, but once you adjust to the theme and narrative, it ends as a decent watch. The icing on the cake is Hebah Patel's brand-new glamorous avatar.

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Mario FAQs

Q. When is Hebha Patel's Mario releasing?

A. Hebah Patel's Mario hit the screens on December 19, 2025. not many are aware of the release.

Q. Who are the main leads in Mario?

A. Mario features Anirush Srivatsa, Hebah Patel, and Rakendu Mouli as the main leads.

Q. Who is the director of Hebah Patel's Mario?

A. Kalyanji Gogana has directed the film which is based on drug mafia