‘Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu’ movie review: Chiranjeevi’s playful return, with Venkatesh in tow

Certain things are a given in a film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi. There will be ample comedy, even if much of it is unabashedly silly. Viewers familiar with his work know not to expect nuance, or much by way of technical polish.

In Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, his first collaboration with Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, Ravipudi leans into these strengths, loading the film with humour and fanboy moments that bank on the actor’s nostalgic appeal. The chief pleasure lies in watching Chiranjeevi clearly enjoying himself, aided by an extended cameo from Venkatesh Daggubati and the presence of Nayanthara.

The film, which nearly opens with the aesthetic of a television serial, takes time to settle into its rhythm. The opening stretch makes its intentions clear: this is not a story that invites scrutiny of a national security officer’s professional rigour. Shankara Vara Prasad (Chiranjeevi), touted as one of the country’s finest, is introduced as an affable middle-class man cheerfully tackling household chores, before effortlessly turning into a one-man wrecking crew.