February 08, 2013 CineGoer.com
If you are expecting a novel story, watch either a Tamil or a Malayalam movie but don't crib that our writers and directors cannot come up with something fresh. We are experts in recycling, reshuffling and borrowing story points and presenting it well with a scoop of gags from Brahmanandam's basket and we know how to intersperse the story with knives, romance, dances and memorable dialogues that we call a 'punch'.
Mirchi has a faction story between two warring groups, one is baying for the other's blood and the hero to bring in peace comes into the rival's home and wins their love. There ends the story; let's see what makes the film work and what are its flaws.
Economics point of view it is imperative for the writer cum director to come up with a safe subject that would help the producer recover the umpteen crores and that is possible when the basic needs and expectations of the audiences are met. Koratala Siva did not do a brilliant job but he showed his smartness and business acumen while carving the story. The dialogues are not bombastic, it is simple, ordinary in fact very ordinary that you might forget them..but that is where the trick lies.
We have seen heroes reeling off glorious lines that made them larger than life and gave the audience a clichéd feeling. Here Siva gives Prabhas a very simple look, feel and words that don't build up expectations at all.
We know the story, it is predictable but till it reaches a predictable point where he gets bashed up to win love like we watched in many films..the director stretches the goodness. The hero doesn't go overboard in highlighting the virtues in his personality, he just goes about doing them that comes naturally to him and that is what perhaps makes the character endearing. Songs, music is good, the screenplay is not heavy on the mind.
Prabhas is charming as ever, but you have to strain your ears to actually understand what he is saying, he eats his words, speaks briskly as usual. Nadiya and Satyaraj stay loyal to the script and don't overact like faction mom and dad. Anushka is given a better role than Richa Gangopadhyay. The double entendre is difficult to stomach when she tries comparing her anatomy with the fields. Satyam Rajesh's part didn't work but Brahmanandam's comedy was more than tolerable.
Subbaraju is funny, the art work looks authentic. Mirchi is formulaic, predictable yes but the writer who makes his debut as a director passes muster, dishes out an engaging and an entertaining film, Prabhas definitely is the big draw and the toning down of dialogues, emotions all within tolerable limits makes the faction film a good watch. This Mirchi is spicy.
