‘Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam’ Film Review: An Unstoppable, Hilarious Adventure!

‘Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam’ moves at such a breakneck speed that it hardly allows you a moment to catch your breath.

You can tell a film is serious about its comedic goals when it treats no subject as off-limits, making fun of everything and everyone. One early scene in Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam exemplifies this, featuring the sudden death of a hypochondriac family member. After a lighthearted setup of about 20 minutes, we expect the mood to shift during this moment. However, writer-director Lakshman Karya has a twist in store. While the grandmother’s body lies nearby, the father-son duo engages in absurd self-pity, lost in their own indulgent reflections, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation. This hilarious sequence sets the tone for the wild comedic ride that Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam delivers throughout.

Subramanyam (Rao Ramesh) is a middle-aged man without a job who sees himself as the protagonist of his own story. His son, Arjun (Ankith Koyya), is equally aimless, dreaming of a more glamorous background and a thrilling history. The real backbone of the family is Arjun’s mother, Kala Rani (Indraja), who has been managing the household for over 25 years and is understandably exhausted. However, luck strikes Subramanyam when he unexpectedly becomes wealthy. How he navigates this newfound fortune is the crux of the story.

Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam is so fast-paced that it hardly gives you a moment to breathe. More importantly, the film maintains a strong sense of consistency, ensuring that the plot never strays off course. Kudos to Rao Ramesh and Ankith Koyya for carrying the film with their performances!

The film’s rare moments of depth resonate strongly, which is part of what makes them impactful. For instance, when Kala Rani confronts Subramanyam about his failure to acknowledge his responsibilities, her frustration feels genuine. Similarly, when her brother expresses regret for never having been able to support her financially, it feels authentic and not forced, despite being an emotional rarity in the film. There’s a subplot that briefly flirts with melodrama when a character’s life is at stake, but the writer-director swiftly alleviates that tension, bringing us back to the humorous escapades of Subramanyam and Arjun as they scramble to fix the chaos they’ve created.

Even the love interest, Kanchana, portrayed with a charmingly quirky innocence by Ramya Pasupuleti, stands out in her own right. Her inexplicable affection for the irresponsible Arjun fits seamlessly into this whimsical world, where luck often plays an unpredictable role in the narrative. Subramanyam may not embody the traditional hero archetype in terms of morality, but he frequently imagines himself as one throughout the story. At one point, he dramatically sets up a chair on the verandah, preparing to greet some police officers with a mix of bravado and confidence. These moments, where Subramanyam tries to amp up his swagger, often end in disappointment due to his circumstances or the antics of his accomplices.

In summary, Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam is undeniably a comedy at its core, where seriousness takes a backseat—and that’s precisely what makes it enjoyable.