Show Time Review: Naveen Chandra's film is a clash of egos with limited thrills

Show Time Story

The story is quite simple. A close-knit family is having a gala time at 11 PM at their residence, and this does not go well with a crooked cop, played by Raja Ravindra, who warns Surya (Naveen Chandra) and his wife Shruthi (Kamakshi Bhaskarla), the young couple in the family. What seems like a small argument turns into a clash of egos. Who wins the war of words is the basic story of the film.

Show Time Review

Show Time has been written and directed by Madhan Dakshinamurthy. The basic story of the film is simple and is set amidst an egoistic cop and a hot-blooded young man, played by Naveen Chandra. The film starts with an argument between a cop and a common man, which is showcased in a very interesting way. The dialogues, ego issues, and drama make things engaging right away.

Just when you think the war of words is over, the film turns into a crime drama as the heroine, Kamakshi Bhaskarla, gets involved in a crime scene. This makes things interesting for the audience, who feel that the cat-and-mouse game is going to intensify. Sadly, that does not happen, as mundane crime scenes unfold, making the film boring.

However, things tend to get better with the entry of a lawyer, played by VK Naresh. But all this is marred by a sluggish screenplay that hardly has any thrills to offer. The ones showcased are predictable as well. There are so many repeated scenes in the film that are dragged for no reason.

The likes of Naveen Chandra try hard to make a difference, but sadly, they are also lost in transit. However, things escalate in the last twenty minutes when a key twist in the tale is thrown at the audience. This creates a few thrills in the narrative, but to enjoy this part, one needs to painfully sit through one and a half hours of boredom. The basic idea is good, but the way things are dragged for no reason bores the audience.

Coming to the performances, Naveen Chandra is a versatile actor who can fit into any role with ease. After playing a solid role in Eleven, he plays a hot-headed young man who gets on the nerves of a ruthless cop. Be it aggression or the desperation to make things work in his favor, everything is showcased superbly by the noted actor. All his scenes with Raja Ravindra, especially in the second half, are very good.

Speaking of Raja Ravindra, he has played a crooked cop in many films to date, but in Show Time, he gets his due and performs to the best of his capabilities. Senior actor Naresh is very good in any role he does but goes a bit overboard for no reason. When he means business and is in charge of the film, Naresh is good, but for the rest of the act, his body language does not suit him.

There is also a comedy angle in the film that looks good for a while, but that too feels loud and lacks focus in the proceedings. Kamakshi Bhaskarla is very good in her role and delivers a decent performance.

The production values are okay, and the camerawork is not that great. The editing is below par in the first half, as the proceedings take forever to get into the main plot. Show Time is a crime drama with a basic idea that looks good but is dragged for no reason. The confrontation scenes between the hero and villain are good, but the thrills hardly make a difference.

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Show Time Verdict

On the whole, Show Time is a crime drama that has decent performances. While the clash of egos is good, the thrills click only in the last twenty minutes. If you ignore the dragged scenes and a few over-the-top comedy sequences, the film can be given a shot by those who like thrillers.