`Mem Famous` is an youthful drama which is a time-pass watch!

Story:

The story is set in Bandanarsampally, a village in Telangana. Mai (Sumanth Prabhas), Durga (Mani Aegurla) and Baali (Mourya) are all-weather friends universally looked down upon by practically everyone in the village. A politically networked guy (Kiran Macha as Jinka Venu) and an adorable neighborhood uncle (Anji Mama Milkuri as Anji Mama) are their support system. Mai`s `maradalu` Mounika (Saarya Laxman) has unexpressed love for him but her interest in him is not in doubt.

The three friends face the test of a lifetime when their nascent business venture runs into unexpected trouble. Will they manage to bail themselves out and prove they are worth the hype they give themselves?

Performances:

The performances can seem immoderate at times, especially when the scenes are redundant. Writer-director Sumanth Prabhas, who plays Mai, gives himself a delectable moment or two. The slow-motion shot when Mounika sees him walking towards her residence is an example of how much the director loves Mai as much as Mai loves himself. Mani Aegurla wears a smiling expression with ease. Mourya Nalagatla looks like an onscreen cousin of Pakkinti Kurradu, the YouTuber.

Saarya is restrained in a scene in the pre-climax phase. Siri Raasi, as a supporting artist`s girlfriend, looks the part of an urban girl. Shiva Nandhan, the school-bunking friend of the lead man, is hilarious to watch. Anji Mama Milkuri is natural. Muralidhar Goud, Narendra Ravi (as the groom whose nose gets punched on the `baarat` day), and Kiran Macha are good.

Technical Departments:

Music (songs): Don`t make an impact.

Background Score: Not over-the-top.

Cinematography: Works but is not a stand-out feature.

Editing: Conventional.

Analysis:

`Mem Famous` mines simple  ideas and builds a comic structure with rooted dialogue and unpretentious nativity. Its awareness of the Internet generation is to the point. 

Usually, in films where creativity helps the protagonist redeem himself, the creative ideas themselves feel bland. Here, we tend to agree with the male lead`s shortcut to instant fame.

After the interval block, we might expect the second half to assume a typical feud involving rival factions in the village. But the writing doesn`t tread the expected path. As such, even though the second hour is draggy at times, we tend to forgive the shortcoming.

Sumanth Prabhas conceived a story whose soul is warm like that of `Cinema Bandi` (the direct OTT release). Of course, the treatment strikes a different tone here. 

By now, films of this sort have started to bore us with the very same `angry father, shameless son` trope. Our writers need to come up with a spin on the template. Otherwise, village-based films will start looking the same if they repeat the same ideas over and over.

The writing also suffers from another demerit. Sumath Prabhas` Mai always looks cheerful or semi-joyful. This makes the story look as if the stakes are low. We get a sense that Mai and his friends will surely get success - in a matter of a few weeks or months! It is for this reason that some people might find `Mem Famous` unimpressive.

Plus:

The fun quotient.

No element of revenge despite the village backdrop.

The pre-climax phase.

The tracks involving Lipstick Spoiler and Anji Mama.

The unassuming tone of the film. 

Minus:

Simple-minded climax with highs.

Some cliches associated with rural comedies.

A largely predictable graph.

Overall Movie Rating: 2.75

Box-office verdict:

Can sustain its momentum due to the entertainment factor!