The Indian army is engaged to just taking aim at the Pakistan border, but the terrorists have already entered into the country terrain. Need of the hour is to the turn the gun and target the terrorists inside. Terrorism could be rooted out only when each and every citizen becomes a soldier. Our mission should be to say that all the world citizens are our bothers and sisters. This is the message imbibed in Sri Hari’s Srisailam.

Though the film has an excellent subject, it turns pale at the commercial angle. After doing cop films like Police, Deva and Sambaiah, action hero Srihari has once again got into the ring of his genre. Director KS Nageswara Rao raised expectations thanks to his tie-up with Srihari after a long gap, but the enthusiasm is watered down.

Srisailam Mallikarjuna Rao alias Srisailam (Srihari) works as a college bus driver. He says that he hails from Bobbarlanka. There is a dreadful truth behind his joining the college. His one and only aim is to kill Krishnadeva Raya (Krishnam Raju), the chairman and former governor of J&K.

He is dispatched to Hyderabad on the orders of terrorist leader Ashwak Khan (Yashpal Sharmal). By killing Krishnadeva Raya, the terrorists want to stop signing of the pact between India and Pakistan. After several twists and turns, it is revealed that the hero is none other than an Army officer. Why does he want to kill the former governor? What does he gain from this deal? These questions form the crux of the entertainment.

Though director Nageswara Rao chose a patriotic subject, the lacuna is glaring on his part that he didn't do the required homework. The characterization of Srihari with its transformation from riffraff to that of a noble army officer is not being dealt properly. However, the role played by Krishnamraju is apt going by his attire.

All other characters did their part well in tune with the script. There is no tempo build up between the scenes. Screenplay treads the slipshod movement. The episodes in which 650 students are taken hostage by the terrorists and that the absence of the police department was ridiculous to watch.

However, the scenes in which Srihari fights out the terrorists on the border are interesting. The director failed to invoke any patriotic feeling with rendering of the Vandemataran song at the climax. It was shot without any seriousness. The comedy took a back seat despite fielding ace comedians like Venu Madhav and Subramanyam.

Though the background score is good, the songs sounded pale and the canning of the same was not in good taste. The photography is also not interesting. Dialogues are nice. The first half is dull compared to the second half. The lengthiness is a minus point. The songs are speed breakers.

Verdict: Below Average