Review of Telugu movie `Mana Sankara Vara Prasad’ – a clean family comedy entertainer

By

S. Prabhakar       

Anil Ravipudi did it again, delivered a Bumper hit on this Sankranti with Mana Sankara Varaprasad (MSVP), after the blockbuster `Sankranti ki Vastunamu’ last year.    It took over four decades and 156 movies for a movie to be made after the original name of Chirajeevi.  

Like any other Anil movie, the story of MSVP is wafer-thin, but the comedy scenes he wove around and the racy pace with which he goes through the movie do not give time to think much, but to enjoy the proceedings as long as they are going.    It was so with F2, F3, Sankranti ki Vastunamu, so also with MSVP.    Anil once again took a family-oriented movie, a rift between husband and wife leading to divorce and the husband's disparate efforts to spend time with his children, clear the misunderstanding created by the mother and her father in the minds of the children about the father and win back the heart of his ex-wife.

Acting:

Chiranjeevi :    

It’s an out-and-out Chiranjeevi movie; there is hardly any frame in the movie where he is not there.  Being a veteran actor, who has carried over 150 movies on his broad and strong shoulders, he once again did it even at this ripe age of 70 years.  As we all know, Chiranjeevi is an all-rounder and can do anything and everything that can be expected from a top hero.   No one has any doubt about his energetic dancing and action scenes, but besides that, he is very good in emotional scenes and has decent comic timing too, though it is restricted to a few scenes in most of his movies.     His trying an out and out comedy movie is very few and far in between, like Chantabbai, directed by Jandhyala at his peak, and Shankar Dada MBBS.   Now MSVP is in the same mould and I must say that he did a decent job.

Chiranjeevi is in a space of his own.   Though he has crossed 70 years, he has not yet started doing hero roles in the age range of 60 years plus with grown-up children, or doing grand father or some other elderly roles bordering character actor roles.   In this movie also with children in the range of 8 years and 6 years he is in the age range of 40 years.   No doubt he does not look so convincing in these types of roles, but he did not look very odd or ugly at the same time.   The reason for the same is the fabulous manner in which he maintained himself; he is looking slim and very refreshing, though with age, bit slowed down, but he did dance movements decently and gracefully and still could see intensity in action scenes.   Special mention and appreciation to the one who has designed his costumes and his stylists who presented him so smartly, especially in songs.    

Nayanatara:

Nayanatara at 42 years is an ageless wonder.  In Indian movies, it is an age where ex-heroins transit to sister-in-law or even mother roles.   But Nayanatara is still doing leading roles.    She is the first choice for all elderly heroes of South India viz., Rajnikant, Ajit, Kamal, Chiranjeevi, Balayya, Venkatesh and Sharukh.    Apart from looking smart at her age, she can hold her ground with solid performance when pitted against these top stars.   In this movie also she has a meaty role of taking head-on with her husband and showing him his place.   She has put in a very decent performance without getting intimidated by the towering presence of Chiru.

Venkatesh's special cameo:

These days it has become a trend to bring 4-5 actors from different languages in meaningless cameos.   In this movie, director Anil has brought his favourite hero Venky in a very special extended cameo, which not only is an important role but lifts the pace of the movie, leading to the climax.   It took over four decades for Chiru and Venky to come together, even if it is a cameo by Venky.   It was reported that in 1990  Ramanaidu had planned a movie with Chiru and Venky as 100^th movie of Suresh Productions, but it didn’t materialise.    The 20 minutes Venky and Chiru scenes together were very racy with punch dialogues and songs from movies of both stars picturised on the other. 

Direction:

Anil has become synonymous with entertainment, and in MSVP, he has toned down double-meaning dialogues compared to his earlier movies, keeping the stature of Chiru.   He joined few other directors of South with 100 percent success rate with Patas, Supreme, Raja the Great,  F2, F3, Sarileru Neekevvaru, Bhagavat Kesari, Sankranti ki Vastunnamu and now MSVP.   Though relatively new and young he knows his craft and how to handle very senior stars with huge image.   He has done one movie each with all the senior and top stars of the Telugu industry except Nagarjuna.  

Music:

Bheems Ceciroleo has once again given excellent music with a couple of songs like Sasi Rekha and Meesala Pilla, apart from decent BGM.

Rating and Box Office:

MSVP is a clear winner in this Sankranti season with Rs. 150 cr collection in four days.  It will give a big boost to Chranjeevi's career and extend it for a few more years, though not sure how long he will continue to do hero roles in the age group of 40s. 

I give 7 out of 10.   Go for it for a light-hearted entertainer. 

S. Prabhakar

16.1.2026