'Sarkaaru Noukari', helmed by Sekhar Gangamouni, marks the debut of Akash (senior singer Sunitha's son). Veteran filmmaker K Raghavendra Rao is its producer. Starring Bhavana Vazhapandal as the heroine, the film co-stars Tanikella Bharani, Surya, Sai Srinivas Vadlamani, Mani Chandana, Rajeshwari Mullapudi, and Ramya Kolhoori. The comedy-drama has music by Sandilya Pisapati. With cinematography by the director himself, the film was released in theatres on January 1.
Akash plays Gopal, a taskmaster at a government office. He has been given the responsibility of not only disseminating condoms but also making the villagers understand why safe sex is important. A few villagers have been afflicted with HIV and are staring at death. Suicides and deaths caused by terminal illnesses dot this poignant film that relies on entertainment in the first half.
Gopal gets married to Sathya, a village girl who is proud of her husband's social status. When his job profile leads to a social backlash in the conservative, rigid village, she takes an extreme decision that feels far-fetched. The film's attempt at mawkish scenes falls apart when Gopal doesn't utter even a few sentences in the presence of his over-emotional wife.
Akash has begun his career with a flop. "You become a hero when people flock to theatres to watch your movie regardless of the talk. I am not that. I must first prove myself as an artist. Commercial movies are fascinating and I will do them in the future. For now, though, I can't expect to bag them. That's where doing a movie like 'Sarkaru Noukari' makes sense," he recently said.
