‘Ba Ba Black Sheep’ review: A fresh take on crime-comedy

Rating: 3/5

Ba Ba Black Sheep tries to offer a fresh take on the crime-comedy genre by combining an intriguing premise, humor, sentiment and a touch of mystery. Directed by Guni Manchikanti and produced by Venu Donepudi, the film explores the notion that sometimes emotions could achieve what brainpower cannot. With an interesting set of characters and Meghalaya serving as an enjoyable backdrop, the movie offers a fun cinematic experience.

Story

The story follows two business tycoons who are competing to win a prestigious project. One of them believes that winning the favor of an influential elderly man is key to achieve his goal and decides to appeal to the man’s emotions. One mysterious box with an object that was lost during the Independence era becomes integral to this plan.

Gangster John (Upendra Limaye) is tasked with finding the box while Sattipandu aka Satyapandu (Vishnu Oi) is preparing to get married to Mary (Samriddhi Aryal) in Meghalaya. A series of unexpected circumstances with Sattipandu, his friend Sandeep (Akshay Lagusani), the police and the mysterious box lead to a set of comic and thrilling events.

The hunt for the box, John’s threats and the attempt to rescue one of Sattipandu’s friends keep the narrative’s momentum high and are enhanced with a number of intriguing twists.

Performances

Akshay Lagusani makes an impressive debut as Sandeep, showcasing not only his energetic acting but also dancing skills. Vishnu Oi is an entertaining Sattipandu, especially due to his quirky mannerisms and speech patterns.

Upendra Limaye fits right into the role of gangster John as a menacing character who has loads of experience. Vismaya Sri and Malvi Malhotra are convincing in their roles while Raja Ravindra and Shubhalekha Sudhakar provide the much-needed experience.

Technicalities

Director Guni Manchikanti manages to keep the story engaging by striking a balance between crime, comedy and sentiment. Another strong point is the use of Meghalaya as a location, aided by the skills of cinematographer Ajay Abraham George.

Electronic Kili and Anand (Arkado)’s music fits the tone of the film. In particular, the songs Samayame Indrajaalam, Ve Vela and Aaja Meri Jaan enhance the entertainment factor, with the background score providing an additional boost to the narrative.

Analysis

Ba Ba Black Sheep has a sense of a unique concept to showcase how the light-hearted approach could be integrated into a standard crime genre. The mix of humor, mystery, emotion and scenery is an added bonus, with the twist in the finale providing an intriguing prospect for a potential sequel.

Despite the large amount of characters and some rehashed elements of the crime-comedy genre, Ba Ba Black Sheep manages to deliver an entertaining experience with the help of engaging performances, scenery, music and an array of humorous occasions.

One of the film’s main highlights is that it was shot entirely in Meghalaya which makes Ba Ba Black Sheep a visually enjoyable watch. At the same time, the combination of crime, comedy and emotion gives it a unique edge.

Overall, Ba Ba Black Sheep is a decent crime-comedy film that manages to showcase its intriguing premise, colorful characters and loads of humor.