Mohan Babu and Vishnu Manchu’s Game begins with a narrator (Prakash Raj) explaining everything about each of the characters and their personality traits. It is then and there that the audience has this sinking feeling that the film might not be all that it promised. The 2006 Telugu film features Mohan Babu and his son Vishnu Manchu in lead roles. While the former plays a taxi driver living in a chawl, the latter is a spoilt rich brat, who believes that there is nothing money couldn’t buy. On Wahiyat Wednesday, we take a look at why this film, which is based on the Hollywood film, Changing Lanes, failed at the box office.

TOO MANY SUBPLOTS FORCED INTO THE NARRATIVE

Game revolves around two men, Mohan Babu (Pandit Raghava) and Vishnu Manchu (Vijay Raj), who are at loggerheads with each other as neither wants to back down from a fight. While the film shows a day in their lives when they cross paths with each other, too many subplots have been forced into the narrative that makes the audience lose interest in the film. The addition of a narrator, who explains each and everything that the character feels, makes you believe that maybe the actors are unable to convey their emotions through their expressions. Though there are some notable comedians, like Sunil, Brahmanandam, Raghu Babu, Posani Krishna Murali, Satyam Rajesh and Tanikella Bharani, among others, in the film, they are given so little screen time that it feels like they were all cast in the film just to make it look like a laugh riot.

EVERY SONG IS A CLICHE

The soundtrack of Game is composed by Joshua Sridhar and comprises four songs. Vuyyale Vuyyale is picturised on Vishnu Manchu and his girlfriend, played by Parvati Melton. The two can be seen dancing outside a mall in a foreign country, with Vishnu in casual clothes while Parvati is dressed in traditional blouses and skirts. If that wasn’t too much, the choreography and the steps just look too out of place. The other songs, which include Aataladukundam, Nethone Le Nuvvu and Hyderabad, aren’t too pleasant either that you could groove to or even remember once the film is over.

CHARACTER ARCS OF MOHAN BABU AND VISHNU MANCHU

The film begins with Mohan Babu as a hot-headed guy with a short temper. At every instance, he gets angry and starts slapping people. Vishnu Manchu’s Vijay is no different, he is always frustrated with things. As the film progresses, there are so many instances where the makers could show gradual changes in their characters. But they remain their frustrated, miserable selves till the very end when, suddenly, both of them realise their flaws. Just to tie up the film with a happy ending, the makers changed the basic personality of the characters in one go, which is hard to comprehend.

A RECAP AFTER INTERMISSION

Usually, you come across recaps in TV shows and sitcoms but it was the first time that we saw a recap of all that happened before the intermission in a movie – Game. It seemed like the makers somehow realised that we might have not paid attention to the film and they thought that a recap was important to catch us up with what’s in store.

Game has veteran actor Mohan Babu trying hard to keep the film fast-paced and entertaining, but with so many inconsistencies and subplots in the narrative, it was difficult for him as well to save the film all alone.

If you are interested to see how Hyderabad was 15 years ago, you can watch Game for free on MX Player.