Breathe Movie Review: The Dark Side of Corporate Hospitals
Movie Name: Breathe
Release Date: March 8, 2024
Cast: Chaitanya Krishna, Vaidika, Keshav Deepak, Vennela Kishore
Director: Vamsi Krishna Akella
Producer: Nandamuri Jayakrishna
Music: Mark. K Robin
Banner: Basava Tarakam Creations
‘Breathe,’ starring Chaitanya Krishna, made its way to theaters on December 2 and has been available for streaming on the platform ‘Aha’ since yesterday.
The narrative unfolds entirely within a hospital setting, though it somewhat lacks in delivering entertainment.
Nandamuri Chaitanya Krishna made his debut as a hero 20 years ago, but after his initial film failed to perform well, he did not take up another film until now with ‘Breathe.’
This movie, released in theaters on December 2, is now being streamed on ‘Aha’ starting from yesterday.
The plot revolves around Telangana’s Chief Minister Aditya Varma (Keshav Deepak), who collapses while playing golf one day and is immediately taken to a hospital named ‘Breathe.’ Around the same time, Abhi (Chaitanya Krishna), who falls off a bike, is also admitted to the same hospital. The health bulletins released about the Chief Minister’s condition start to raise suspicions in Abhi.
Abhi, who studied MBBS up to his third year before quitting for a reason, has a good understanding of medicines and treatments. Kadhali (Vaidika), who studied with him and now works as a doctor in the same hospital, helps him spend his days there, keeping an eye on the activities of the doctors. He tries to uncover what is happening with the Chief Minister’s treatment secretly.
A team of five doctors in the hospital, formed to eliminate VIP patients, typically has many enemies due to their status. They ensure that such VIPs fall ill and get admitted to their hospital, where they execute killings on behalf of the enemies for a fee, maintaining utmost caution to avoid suspicion.
According to a plan, certain medicines are administered to the Chief Minister to ensure he becomes brain dead and dies on a specific day.
Abhi learns which doctors are involved in this entire affair. The hospital staff, noticing his interest in the Chief Minister’s affairs, try to discharge him under the pretense, but he intentionally falls down the stairs to stay in the hospital.
Realizing that Abhi is meddling in the Chief Minister’s matters, the team decides to eliminate him before the Chief Minister.
What situation does Abhi face? What motivates him to try and save the Chief Minister? Who planned to kill the Chief Minister using the doctors, and what does Abhi do upon discovering this? The rest of the story unfolds these mysteries.
Director Vamsi Krishna Akella, taking on the roles of both writer and director, crafts this narrative against the backdrop of corruption in corporate hospitals.
The film‘s interval bang reveals a team’s plan to assassinate the Chief Minister, leading into a second half filled with attempts to save him.
The film touches upon how some societal elites eliminate obstacles by hiring doctors, a fresh aspect introduced by the director.
However, the chief minister, the hero, and the villain all remain within the hospital for the entire story, limiting the narrative’s scope. As most people have an aversion to hospital settings, making the entire plot revolve around one makes it challenging for the audience to connect.
Additionally, attempts to incorporate comedy within the hospital setting fall flat.
The underlying theme of the movie is the dark underbelly of corporate hospitals, with the hero becoming a patient to save someone. This leaves no room for showcasing physical strength, and the mastermind behind the dark network remains hidden until the climax.
Rapid-forwarding scenes towards the end contributes to the audience’s dissatisfaction. Mark K. Robin’s background score and Rakesh Hosamani’s cinematography suit the storyline well. Perhaps keeping some plot elements secret until later could have made the film more engaging.
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