Story:

Krishna (Suhas) grows up believing that his father Rao Balwanth (VK Naresh) is a noble businessman who provides livelihood opportunities to a number of individuals. However, when he comes to know that his father has been into a nasty line of profession, he decides to put a full-stop to the legacy. By a quirk of fate, he and his girlfriend Mithra (Shivani Nagaram) get into trouble. As a consequence, his plan goes awry and he must now deal with two impatient politicians (played by Ajay Ghosh and Harshavardhan) who threaten to make his life even more complicated.

Performances & Technical Departments:

1. Suhas: The actor performs in an endearing way in the climax. Emotions suit him more than comedy. Overall, the actor is good but he doesn`t shoulder the film.

2. Shivani: The Little Hearts lead gets a full-fledged role as someone who runs an NGO. She looks the part of a young woman who has to look embarrassed and smitten.

3. The supporting cast: VK Naresh plays a grey-shaded character. He gets to do little in the first half. In the second, he overcompensates by parodying star heroes in a half-comical scene. Sravanthi Chokarapu plays a character that must support the male lead`s immediate mission.

4. The comedians: Sudarshan is excellent, better than he was in Nari Nari Naduma Murari. He single-handedly draws laughs, more than Vennela Kishore.

5. The bad guys: Ajay Ghosh and Harshavardhan play rival politicians vying to outsmart each other ahead of an important election. They are average.

6. Vivek Sagar`s background score is not as whacky as it intended to be. The songs are decent. Mahi Reddy Pandugula`s cinematography is sloppy even in scenes with potential for lively camera angles. Viplav Nyshadam lets a couple of scenes linger for too long.

Analysis:

Hey Balwanth`s biggest marketing pitch was not its trailer, but the suspense built over VK Naresh`s secret endeavour. You are wrong if you thought the film has built intrigue leading up to the reveal. The screenplay is old-school here, with his profession revealed right at the start. Director Gopi Atchara lets go of the opportunity to generate suspense up until the 30th minute at the very least. It was not enough for the son not to know what his father is into. Even the audience should have been kept in the dark.

Despite this flaw, the first half is entirely engaging. When the female lead is introduced as someone who runs an NGO, you fear that she will be targeted by the politician`s character (Harshavardhan is introduced as an ambitious leader). However, the story branches out in unexpected directions, culminating in a funny interval episode. Throughout the first half, the romantic track is simple and non-emotional. The comical situations built around the male lead`s dilemmas are well-written stretches. The libido-heavy character played by Vennela Kishore is fun. And then there is the friend, in the form of Sudarshan, who comes up with one-liners, making fun of the lead man`s problems.

The second half should have been way more interesting. The track involving Suhas` Krishna and Ajay Ghosh`s politician character is modelled after the Sreenu Vaitla school of comedy. However, the result is mixed. After elaborate comedy stretches, the climax arrives to let the male protagonist have a closure with those he has to. In an attempt to make it a family entertainer, the writing department comes up with far-fetched justifications for Rao Balwanth`s mission.

Verdict:

Hey Balwanth is a mixed bag that thrives on its witty first half but loses its footing in a convoluted second act. By revealing the central mystery too early, Director Gopi Atchara sacrifices crucial suspense. While the Sreenu Vaitla-esque comedy offers some laughs, far-fetched justifications in the climax dampen the impact. It’s an engaging, one-time watch that falls just short of its potential.