Synopsis:
Raj Kumar (Vikas Vasishta) is a successful plastic surgeon who marries Mahathi (Priya Vadlamani). However, his marriage disappoints childhood friend Maya Fernandez (Ayesha Khan), who has always loved him. As Raj’s life starts to unravel, he becomes involved with Dr. Satya (Chaitanya Rao). The film follows the events that take place and how they impact Raj’s life.
Positive Elements:
The film tackles a sensitive and relevant concept and presents it with conviction. The social message is the heart of the film and encourages deep thought from the audience. Vishwak Sen’s cameo in the crucial climax adds value to the film, and he performs well in his brief role. The second half of the film is decent and becomes more engaging as the plot becomes more serious. The key twists in this half of the film are effective and have an impact. The final hour of the film is well-written and connects well with the story. Priya Vadlamani’s performance as a traditional girl is stunning and her character is well-written. Vikas Vasista, Chaitanya Rao, and Ayesha Khan also give good performances.
Negative Elements:
While the concept of the film is strong, the narrative is not as engaging, which lowers the impact of the film as a whole. A tighter screenplay and shorter runtime would have improved the film. The comedy in certain parts of the film does not land well. The first hour of the film takes its time to establish the plot, which may bore some viewers. The romantic track between the lead couple is not effective. The first few minutes of the last hour are wasted and certain parts of the film become overly melodramatic. Some plot points are not fully explained and there are logical gaps in the film.
Technical Elements:
The background score by Kaala Bhairava is powerful in key scenes, but the songs are not as memorable. The cinematography by Sreenivas Bejugam is satisfactory and the production values are also fine. However, the editing team could have trimmed down the film by removing unnecessary scenes. The director, Gangadhar, does a passable job with the film, but could have put more care into the first hour, which is slow. The story by Sandeep Raj is compelling, but the execution is middle-of-the-road.
Verdict:
Overall, Mukhachitram tackles a relevant topic that works in parts. The second half of the film is passable, with decent twists and fair performances. However, to get to the good parts, viewers must endure a slow and unengaging first half. If you are willing to sit through this, the film is worth a watch for the message it conveys.