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'Bro' movie review: A fantasy drama on time that makes two hours feel like forever

Ten minutes into the film, Markandeya alias Mark (Sai Dharam Tej) dies in a car accident that he is seemingly responsible for. A shot of a white car tumbling across a highway cuts to darkness. We slowly see Mark emerge, unharmed, crying out for help. We then see the silhouette of a man, the superstar himself. Mark yells, “Who are you? Where am I? Show me your face.” No response. Then we get the cue. “Power ledha.” The lights shine on, revealing the power star himself, dressed in his famous Vayyari Bhama garb, dancing to the song. Then we see something downright farcical. The man is dancing, well, swaying lightly, as we see him morph into double, triple and multiple identical translucent figures, moving along to the acoustic hook from Vayyari… All the build-up and tease, followed by that one meta line acting as an OTP for the hero to emerge. Phata poster, nikla hero. Phir kya? It is all downhill from here, my friends, as the rest of the film goes on to replicate the heartbreaking mediocrity the Ameerpet edit of VFX Pawan Kalyans displayed.

For the most part, Bro is Mark’s story. He gets the Arjun Reddy style unlikeable-but-successful character arc. He finishes an entire workout but leaves his breakfast halfway. He will pay for his sisters’ education but never pays attention to them. He is also extremely fastidious with his time. He fires people on a whim because they have dared to waste his time. He sees his girlfriend Ramya (Ketika Sharma) as an appointment to be squeezed in between work and more work. Mark’s loved ones are the opportunity cost he voluntarily incurs for a coveted promotion in his company. Bro, in that way, is quite the apt title here, considering the whole ‘time is money, money is success’ mantra that drives Mark is also the beloved gospel of our podcast ‘bros’.

Samuthirakani and his writer-collaborator Trivikram are more inclined to present Mark in a grudgingly positive light, but more on that later. Pawan Kalyan is time, here. If Anne Hathaway suggested that time can be a physical dimension people can climb up and down like a hill in Interstellar — Samuthirakani wants us to know that time can also be reimagined as this demigod superstar we have all grown up loving.

But who really is this personification of time? This is where the movie entropies rapidly. Trivikram steps in to deliver some philosophical one-liners, which quickly turn into unsubtle digs against a certain Chief Minister. We also have Thaman’s rousing Sanskritised background score trying its best to defibrillate this otherwise comatose film. When we combine Thaman’s contributions with the fact that Bro is alternatively titled Bro The Avatar — we might just be talking about Kaala Bhairava, the Shaivite manifestation of time, reality and retribution. But this is a wasted conclusion since we see Pawan Kalyan’s character borrow his character traits from his own film-mythos-graph. In OMG (Pawan Kalyan features in this film’s Telugu remake), Akshay Kumar’s Sri Krishna apes the character traits of the latter. So we see this actor play the flute, carry a peacock feather keychain and inhale blocks of butter from Paresh Rawal’s fridge. But here, Pawan Kalyan’s Time mowa bro is a highlights reel of the actor in his prime. He prefers chai from a cutting glass (like his character from Thammudu), sings Aadavari Matalaku Ardhale Verule in a car and dances to Jalsa Jalsa in a pub. Costume designer Neeta Lulla chimes into the film’s overall meta-ness, her costumes are an ode to the actor’s clutter-breaking, forever cool fits from the 2000s.

At this point, a senior star paying meta lip service to his older, more iconic roles is not new. Lokesh Kanagaraj did it with Kamal Haasan in Vikram. Closer home, Bobby Kolli pulled it off with clap backs to vintage Chiranjeevi in Waltair Veerayya. But the trick misfires with Bro, especially considering Kushi, Jalsa and Tholi Prema had some wide and successful re-releases at a time as recent as last year. Speaking of which, how did a song from Bheemla Nayak feature in this vintage mix? I get that time is relative and stories are subjective, but the only way ‘one year back’ would count as vintage is if human beings had a lifespan of three years. The shtick feels a lot more tired when you realise that Pawan Kalyan is running his own experiments with time, using his past career to propel his future one — cinema be damned.

The rest of the film does little to help its own case. Bro is a remake of a Tamil feature that was once originally a play, but that never meant actors should continue to stay in a single place, swapping the stage for endless green screenshots. Sai Dharam Tej is equally immobile in his acting, as he pantomimes in tandem with Pawan Kalyan’s sluggish and disinterested demeanour.

Surprisingly, Mark’s family left a greater impression on me than Tej and Pawan Kalyan. There is a sister who knows she is unfairly resented, but still respects her brother. The other sister and brother hide their own relationships, despite Mark being open with his. The film’s only redeeming grace is the way it treats patriarchy. Now when I say patriarchy, I don’t mean it in the way that word has earned its demonic status today. I mean it quite literally. Mark is the oldest child of his family, its sole breadwinner and patriarch after their father’s demise. When he rises to lecture the women in his household, the girls see their father. The mother sees her own father. Mark is riddled with anxiety, about getting his siblings ‘settled’. Turns out, his family needs no help from him. In one of the film’s only aha! moments, we see the ‘nobody needing Mark’ angle take a deterministic turn.

And when Mark realises that it is he who needs his family more than the other way round, he begins to redeem himself. The film though, not so much. This is an interesting time for Pawan Kalyan fans, to watch him transition from a place that made him the power star to a place that could give him actual power. We have seen him build a meta-narrative beneficial for politics in both Vakeel Saab and Bheemla Nayak. But Bro is a slippery beast. Star power means showing greatness, something mortals cannot achieve. But we have Pawan Kalyan in a film that has come down to our level, instead of us wishing to reach theirs, with all the Jaya Surya and Mavayya meme clapbacks.

It is not easy at all to watch this ‘torchbearer’ feature in a rather torturous film. It feels much more insulting when the star is content with scheduling this piecemeal effort film between politics the way Mark scheduled his time between work for Ramya. We have had 25 glorious years with Pawan Kalyan. Maybe, our time is over.

Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Ketika Sharma, Priya Prakash Warrier, Rohini Molleti Director: Samuthirakani

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BRO Review: Sai Dharam Tej’s film celebrates Pawan Kalyan more than the story

Director samuthikani’s ‘bro’, starring pawan kalyan and sai dharam tej, is a telugu remake of the tamil film, 'vinodhaya sitham'. while the story remains the same, the telugu version is an ode to pawan kalyan, says our review..

Listen to Story

'BRO' stars Sai Dharam Tej and Pawan Kalyan.

'BRO' released in theatres on July 28.
The film features Sai Dharam Tej and Pawan Kalyan.
The film is directed by Samuthirakani.

Release Date: 28 Jul, 2023

If there’s one film family that is dominating the Telugu film industry, it is the Konidela family. Nearly 10 members of the family have a market of their own in Tollywood. When two stars of the family, Power Star Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej, join hands together, it intrigues the audience. For their first film together, they chose a Tamil film, 'Vinodhaya Sitham', directed by Samuthirakani. Let’s find out if ‘BRO’ has lived up to expectations!

Markandeya AKA Mark (Sai Dharam Tej) is a man weighed down by the responsibilities on his shoulders. Due to the demise of his father, Mark had to step up and lead the family and be the patriarch. He has three siblings (two sisters and a brother) and a mother to take care of, apart from his work and love life. However, life is mysterious and he meets his end way sooner than he thinks.

Enter Titan (Pawan Kalyan), a God of time of sorts, who gives Mark a second chance at his life to turn things over. Mark is given an ultimatum of 90 days to fulfil all his wishes. He always lacked time for his loved ones. But, with just 90 days in hand, Mark puts his family first and tries to undo a lot of things he regrets.

Samuthirakani’s 'Vinodhaya Sitham' was a film that was showered with love. The fantasy film was loaded with questions about life. It makes you wonder about the control we have over our family and our life. And the thought of what would happen to our family after our demise is something we’ve all thought about. 'Vinodhaya Sitham' answered all of them. One of the main reasons the film worked was because of its taut screenplay and solid performances from Samuthirakani and Thambi Ramaiah.

This is where the Telugu remake, ‘BRO’, falters. The Telugu version is too long, courtesy Samuthirakani, who had decided to give in to the demands of a commercial film. He included special numbers and umpteen references to Pawan Kalyan’s career and his political ideologies. In fact, ‘Bro’ becomes a star worship vehicle instead of what it was supposed to be.

Pawan Kalyan is in supreme form and has had maximum fun here. When he dances or performs his songs, such as 'Emi Sodara' or 'La La Bheemla', you cheer for him unknowingly. That’s his charm! That’s his swag. These extra additions act as a speed breaker, thereby diluting the emotional core of the film. What worked in the Tamil version failed to work in the Telugu reboot because of its commercialisation.

Sai Dharam Tej, as a man who is racing against time, is good for the most part. When it comes to emotional sequences, his performance could have been better. The women in the film, Rohini, Priya Prakash Varrier and Yuva Lakshmi, have solid roles. Their character arcs make us feel involved and you tend to root for them when the film is working.

‘BRO’ could have been a faithful remake, had it toned down the extra additions. With special numbers and references, it becomes a watered-down version of ‘Vinodhaya Sitham’.

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Pawan Kalyan-starrer Bro Sets Another Record, Gets An IMDB Rating Of 9

Curated By : Entertainment Bureau

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Last Updated: August 01, 2023, 14:42 IST

Hyderabad, India

Bro was released on July 28.

The supernatural fantasy comedy film is helmed by Samuthirakani.

Telugu film Bro, starring Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Priya Prakash Varrier, Ketika Sharma, Brahmanandam, and Subbaraju in the lead, released this Friday at the big screens. The supernatural fantasy comedy film is directed by Samuthirakani. Its screenplay is written by Trivikram Srinivas. Made under the production of People Media Factory and Zee Studios, Bro is an adaptation of the 2021-Tamil movie Vinodhaya Sitham. Until Sunday, the film managed to earn Rs 64 crore, making it a super hit. Currently, Bro’s total worldwide box office collection has crossed Rs 100-crore mark.

Now, the film has reached another milestone within three days of its release. Bro has got an excellent rating of 9/10 on IMDB (Indian Movie Database). Fans are extremely delighted to witness this achievement. Interestingly, Bro has got a higher rating than Vinodaya Seetham. The original Tamil version has an IMDB rating of 8/10.

This is the sixth film of Pawan Kalyan to cross Rs 100 crore. Earlier, Bheemla Nayak, Vakeel Sahab, Katamarayudu, Sardar Gabbar Singh, and Attarintiki Daredi have also entered the much-coveted club.

Bro unravels the life of an arrogant man who is offered a chance to correct his mistakes after his death. The man is given an ultimatum of 90 days, within which he can undo the things he regrets in life. For example, he used to avoid spending time with his loved ones. With just 90 days in hand, he starts putting his family first. The film is receiving mixed responses from the audiences.

While some believe that Pawan Kalyan’s charm is captivating in the film, the reviews also suggest that he could have toned it down while narrating the story, to make it a faithful remake. Bro released along with the much-awaited Karan Johar directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani; but is holding its position at the box office quite well.

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‘Bro’ movie review: Entertains and make you think

“BRO” is the latest film that stars Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej in the lead roles. This movie is a remake of the Tamil film “Vinodhaya Sitham,” which was also directed by Samuthirakani. The promotional content released already created the required buzz among the audience. Let’s see how it fares at box-office.

Markandeyulu, Mark ( Sai Dharam Tej ), is a person who values his time and works hard to provide everything for his family members. He takes care of everyone and is the head of the family. He doesn’t have time for anything. One day, Mark finds himself in a near to death situation when he meets Time ( Pawan Kalyan ). Mark, in his journey with Time, learns valuable lessons about his life and family. The main story tells us about the importance of time and life.

“Bro” is a remake of the Tamil film "Vinodaya Sitham," which was also directed by Samuthirakani . Simply put, it's the tale of a man who, after dying, is given the opportunity to make amends for his mistakes. The storyline is extremely familiar.

There are two major changes in the Telugu adaptation. In the Tamil version, the protagonist is a middle-aged man with a wife and two daughters. Here, the protagonist is a young man played by Sai Dharam Tej. Another difference is the casting of a major star like Pawan Kalyan in the part of time. In the Tamil version, Samuthirakani played the role of time.

The movie, “BRO” is overall a journey between both the lead roles played by Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej. Their chemistry was apt for the film, and in almost 90% of the film, they are seen together. Also, the makers have scattered a lot of Pawan Kalyan’s hit songs throughout the film, which gives a nostalgic feeling to the audience.

The first half of the film is entertaining, with a lot of comic relief and action. As the film proceeds to the second half, it becomes heavy and engaging, with the characters in the film delivering the main point of the film. The movie and actors have thoroughly made the audience feel every emotion with their performances.

On a whole, Pawan Kalyan’s performance, energy, and on-screen attitude are what made the film, “BRO,” entertaining. The movie starts off with an entertaining plot, and as the second half picks up, there is a strong message about modern living. This will surely be a very enjoyable movie to watch for everyone.

Performances

Pawan Kalyan is playing the role of God of Time, which is one of the most versatile roles he has played so far in his films. He has played the role of Lord Krishna in “Gopala Gopala.” Pawan Kalyan looks stunning and stylish in the role of God in the film, “BRO.” Being in such a role, he has aced every emotion and expressed a precious lesson until the movie ends. Powerstar Pawan Kalyan dancing for “Jalsa,” “Thammudu” and “Bheemla Nayak” songs are a real treat for mega fans. He is no doubt one of the major characters who stands out in the film.

Sai Dharam Tej, as Markandeyulu, has delivered an exceptional performance in the film. He has maintained all the emotions in the role with intensity.

Ketika Sharma fits very aptly into the role of Mark’s girlfriend and performs at her best. The chemistry between the lead roles seems to be in place for this fantasy drama film. Brahmanandam, Vennela Kishore, and Tanikella Bharani have fewer scenes in this film, which are very entertaining. The extended cast of the film, including Priya Varrier, Rohini, Ali Reza, and a few other actors, had good roles in the film, and they did justice with their performances.

Technicalities

Samuthirakani is the writer and director of the film “BRO.” His vision and execution of the film are way too good. He has modified the original story from his film and made this movie. He has ensured that the movie presents all sorts of emotions and drama. The background score composed by S Thaman keeps the screenplay interesting and energetic. The songs from this movie were already released and the audience has been loving them ever since they were out on social media. The picturisation of the songs has been perfect in the film.

The screenplay and dialogues by Trivikram Srinivas have clearly made an intense impact on the audience who witnessed the movie on the big screens. The production values and the VFX work in the film are exceptionally good.

Pawan Kalyan Screen Presence

Entertainment in the First half

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What is the release date of 'Bro'? Release date of Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej starrer 'Bro' is 2023-07-28.
Who are the actors in 'Bro'? 'Bro' star cast includes Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Brahmanandam and Priya Prakash Varrier.
Who is the director of 'Bro'? 'Bro' is directed by Samuthirakani.
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Home » Movies » Bro Movie Review

Bro review: This rehashed ‘Vinodhaya Sitham’ fails to quit beating around the bush

If you analyse 'Bro' as it happens, it probably wouldn't have worked for any other film personality other than Pawan Kalyan.

Published:Aug 09, 2023

Pawan Kalyan and Samuthirakani on the sets of 'Bro'. (thondankani/Twitter)

Lacks depth!

Bro (Telugu)

Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Ketika Sharma, Priya Prakash Varrier, and Brahmanandam
Director: Samuthirakani
Producers: TG Vishwa Prasad and Vivek Kuchibhotla
Music: S Thaman
Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes
Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
Director: Maneesh Sharma
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

“Never commit a mistake today for a better tomorrow!” This dialogue of Pawan Kalyan, uttered to Sai Dharam Tej, may seem as though he is sending out a message to his political rivals.

But it also innately reflects Pawan Kalyan’s vision which may be ideal but impractical.

Before you debate whether this dialogue is political or apolitical, the story of Bro can be summed up in this one phrase.

Markandeya (Sai Dharam Tej) is a corporate professional who believes in being loyal to the company. He thinks that if he remains with the company and believes in the company’s growth for a long period, he will feel valued and appreciated.

While enjoying the perks in the corporate sector, he takes good care of his mum (Rohini), his two sisters (Priya Prakash Varrier and Yuva Lakshmi), and his young brother (played by Surya Srinivas).

If there is one that he cannot lend… it is time. He gets killed when his car topples on a ring road.

What if he is sent to Earth again for 90 days? How shocking would it be for Mark (Markandeya) when he witnesses his life, which till then seemed so comfortable to him. That is the story of Bro , in a nutshell.

The off-screen image of Pawan Kalyan sometimes doesn’t make you gauge his onscreen performance properly.

A poster of ‘Bro’. (thondankani/ Twitter)

But if you analyse Bro as it happens, the movie probably wouldn’t have worked for any other film personality other than him.

Also, you may not find enough credence to say that Kalyan outperformed everyone.

You would get to see the same mannerisms that he has been doing since the days of Tholi Prema (1998) and Thammudu (1999).

And probably, his role in Bro as an eternal being “Time” has slightly more depth than Gopala Gopala (2015).

His character tries to explain to Mark how the primaeval “time” existed from the beginning and has no end. And if one knows about the magic of time in the material world, he would probably become an enlightened being.

This metaphysical philosophy may seem too heavy for the common man. It could have been properly conveyed when it is shown on screen.

Related: Will Pawan Kalyan’s political remarks cast a shadow on ‘Bro’?

Weight of pawan kalyan’s image.

The first half of Bro involves beating around the bush, as far as Pawan Kalyan’s character is concerned.

“ Emi Sodhara Manasuku Emaindiraa ..” from Tholi Prema is played to console the devastated Mark.

A poster ‘Bro’. (IamDharamTej/ Twitter)

And then, he dances to the tunes of “ Sarigama Padanisa karo karo jara jalsa ..” from Jalsa (2022), during the party time to pump up Mark’s spirits.

Director Samuthirakani probably succumbed to the demands of showing Pawan Kalyan as a larger-than-life character.

All unimportant things come randomly because the story doesn’t want to talk about the process of the plot.

And you probably would be the most unfortunate if you were unknowingly seated behind a bunch of Jana Sena supporters or Pawan Kalyan fans — except for whistles nothing goes to your brain.

Samuthirakani would have done a far more better job if Trivikram had not been the dialogue writer.

When Mark’s mother Rohini is rushed to the hospital, Sanjay Swarup, who played a doctor’s role tells Mark, “ Parkinson’s disease dabbulu unna vallake vastundhi ” (Parkinson’s disease only affects rich people).

This is when Mark is not left with a single penny because he just has resigned from his job. It looks ridiculous to hear a dialogue written by someone like Trivikram.

Also Read: Censor talk of ‘Bro’: An imperfect timing for Pawan Kalyan?

Performances.

Sai Dharam Tej in ‘Bro’. (thondankani/ Twitter)

Sai Dharam Tej as a corporate professional looks visually good. But he somehow couldn’t get into the skin of the character.

Pawan Kalyan has not much meat apart from uttering a few philosophically-logical dialogues.

Ketika Sharma remains herself to be Mark’s honest love interest.

Priya Prakash and Rohini as the former’s mother and sister, respectively, have done well within their space.

S Thaman has seriously nothing much to show of his creative side because Kalyan’s old chartbusters keep coming randomly when he has a task to massage Mark’s ego or to change his mood.

Sujith Vaassudev’s cinematography is okay but not commendable.

Related: Scoring music for Pawan Kalyan’s film is a serious business: Thaman

Music director Thaman with Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej. (S Thaman/ Twitter)

Bro is simply a rehashed remake of Vinodhaya Sitham (2021), cautiously made while adjusting commercial meters, to titillate the taste buds of Pawan Kalyan’s fans.

Focusing on “now” — the present moment — the film would have scored a hit had the director added more depth.

Along with the message, there is political banter, too.

Well, Kalyan censures his rivals severely through Bro as he says, “ Ippudu right ga untey eppudu goppaga untav ” (If you follow the righteousness, you’ll always be blessed)!

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Home » Reviews » Telugu Movie Reviews

Bro Movie Review: A Concoction Confused Between Serving Pawan Kalyan’s Stardom & Telling A Story

More than a film about a potent subject, bro is now a fan service.

Star Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej, Priya Prakash Varrier, Samuthirakani, and ensemble.

Director: Samuthirakani

What’s Good: Pawan Kalyan’s swagger that translates so well on screen and how it compliments his character, is fun to watch.

What’s Bad: it is mostly a rehash and not something that you haven’t seen already.

Loo Break: there are numerous half-baked lazy songs; that’s your cue.

Watch or Not?: If you are a Pawan Kalyan fan, nothing can stop you. It’s a fan service and not even one that is shaped nicely.

Language: Telugu (with subtitles at selected theatres).

Available On: In Theatres Near You

Runtime: 134 Minutes

An arrogant man-child Markandeya (Sai Tej), dies in a road accident. God of time gives him a limited second chance at life, and now he has to fulfill his responsibilities before his time ends.

Bro Movie Review: Script Analysis

How much control do we have over our life? Is a question that cinema has been exploring for a while. The concept where a man stands on the boundary between the real world and the afterlife is something that has been fascinating people for at least a couple of decades now. India mostly has seen it in more commercial movies like God Tussi Great Ho and Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!, The former was a remake of the Hollywood movie Bruce Almighty. Years later when Samuthirakani brought back the plot in his Tamil movie Vinodhaya Sitham, the reception was, as expected mixed.

Now with Bro, he remakes his Tamil story into Telugu and brings in a top star to drive his point home. With Trivikram Srinivas writing the Telugu version, they end up diluting their subject even more because now the responsibility to do a fan service arose the moment they cast Pawan Kalyan . The core of Bro is in the question about existence how one’s presence affects the world around him. It is a substantial question and one that can be explored pretty well. But the writer and the filmmaker here choose to rather focus on the casting coupe they have managed to pull off.

So now, more than a film about a potent subject, Bro is now a fan service that is filled with innumerable ‘King-like’ walking and sitting shots of Pawan Kalyan, and infinite references to his songs, movies, his political ideologies, and much more. This affects the movie in a massive way because he was introduced as the God Of Time with so much panache, but you have now associated him with Kalyan’s real self and the line has blurred. Post the first three references; he is now Pawan Kalyan and not the character you want me to see.

Add to this the urge to break into random weirdly composed and picturised songs every 10 minutes. Pawan Kalyan snapping is used as a device that controls the world, because he is Time, remember? But barring the 6-7 genuine snaps, he starts snapping randomly to break into dance numbers and one even brings in Urvashi Rautela , we deserved Thanos; he wasn’t wrong! The decoration that the makers lace Bro with kills its very essence and doesn’t let its subject breathe at all.

The last few scenes by the climax, where you meet the man in his most vulnerable moments, are good, but it is too late by then.

Bro Movie Review: Star Performance

Sai Dharam Tej is comfortable when it comes to being comical and kicking some goons, but the moment he has be emotional is when his ship begins to sink. He is a man-child who can sulk at anything and is also a control freak. Too rich for an AGM of a company. The character is written in broad strokes and with no realism to him.

Pawan Kalyan walks in with his swagger and owns it. But as said, he never becomes the character but remains his real self throughout. Priya Varrier gets nothing more than being a sister in love with a boy without her elder brother knowing and an emotional scene that concludes things.

Rest everyone is a one-tone part with not much as redemption.

Bro Movie Review: Direction, Music

Samuthirakani’s direction is haywire and completely all over the place. One can see his struggle to tell a story and also cater to the fans of Pawan Kalyan. This ends up creating a weird mix that doesn’t do either. His idea of introducing an entire platter of songs that have no connection to the movie and its story is the most bothering part of it all.

The music is exactly the kinds we want to skip except two numbers, and you already know which ones.

Bro Movie Review: The Last Word

Bro tries to tell a story and be at service to Pawan Kalyan’s fandom but does neither by the time it ends.

Bro Trailer

Bro releases on 28 July, 2023.

Share with us your experience of watching Bro.

For more recommendations, read our Purusha Pretham Movie Review here.

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