Funky Review: A Watered-Down Attempt To Recreate Jathi Ratnalu
Sarkar Rating: 2.25/5 Release Date: FEB 13th, 2026.
Cast
Vishwak Sen, Kayadu Lohar, Naresh, VTV Ganesh, and others.
Crew
Director : Anudeep KV
Producer: Naga Vamsi S – Sai Soujanya
Music: Bheems Ceciroleo
Editor: Navin Nooli
Co-Producer: Venkat Upputuri
Cinematography: Suresh Sarangam
Written by: Anudeep KV & Mohan SatoBanners: Sithara Entertainments & Fortune Four Cinemas
What Is the Film About?
Funky is not a film that banks heavily on story. At its core, it follows a struggling film director played by Vishwak Sen, who faces setbacks in his career. How he manages to complete his film and win over his love interest Chitra, played by Kayadu Lohar, forms the basic narrative.
The premise is simple and thin, clearly designed to act as a setup for comedy rather than a story-driven experience.
Performances
Vishwak Sen delivers a strictly average performance in Funky. He plays his familiar naive character, but nothing truly stands out. While the performance is decent, it lacks freshness and conviction. Even in terms of physicality, there appears to be minimal effort for a lead hero. Toward the climax, however, a noticeably slimmer and sharper version of Vishwak is seen, which looks promising and hopefully carries forward into his upcoming films.
Kayadu Lohar looks pleasant on screen and is styled well throughout. Unfortunately, her character is written in a very basic and passable manner. With little scope to perform, she fails to leave an impression despite her screen presence.
Analysis
Funky is directed by Anudeep, who previously delivered the blockbuster Jathi Ratnalu. The film opens with clarity about its intent, and the first 15–30 minutes firmly establish the comedic tone with back-to-back one-liners and jokes.
While a few jokes do land, the first half struggles due to poor narrative flow. The comedy feels forced rather than organic. What should have been innocent, naive fun ends up looking staged and effort-driven. You can clearly sense the desperation to extract laughs in almost every scene.
Vishwak’s character, in particular, needed to feel naturally naive and believable. That effortless charm—so crucial for this kind of comedy—is missing. As a result, even when jokes work intermittently, they fail to create sustained entertainment.
Pacing is another major issue. Despite a reasonable runtime, the first half feels stretched. Repetitive setups without progression make it drag. Tracks involving Anudeep himself and MAD director Kalyan Shankar go on for far too long and eventually become irritating. Sampath Raj’s track is just about okay, offering limited fun.
The second half suffers from the same problems. While a few jokes continue to click sporadically, the film lacks a strong emotional or story backbone. It depends entirely on gags and the charm of the overall experience—and that’s where Anudeep falters the most.
The director makes a visible attempt to recreate the magic of Naveen Polishetty’s character from Jathi Ratnalu through Vishwak’s role in Funky. Unfortunately, the writing fails to capture that innocence and character arc even remotely. The character never grows organically, and as a result, the audience never truly connects.
Overall, Funky feels like a rehash of Anudeep’s own blockbuster rather than a step forward.
Performances by Other Actors
The film features a fairly large supporting cast, though only a few familiar faces. Sampath Raj gets a limited role with minimal comic impact. Muralidhar Goud appears briefly in a single scene, which does generate some fun. A group of youngsters fit their roles adequately, but none stand out due to weak writing and underdeveloped characters.
Music and Technical Departments
Music by Bheems Ceciroleo is underwhelming. Apart from one decent song, the album fails to register. The background score is equally forgettable.
Cinematography by Suresh Sarangam is neat and functional but lacks any visual flair. Editing by Navin Nooli feels choppy, with abrupt scene endings and weak transitions. This further damages the film’s already uneven flow, making both halves feel longer than they are.
Production values from Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas are decent and appropriate for a gag-based comedy, but nothing stands out.
Verdict
Funky offers scattered laughs but no lasting impact. With weak writing, forced comedy, and a clear attempt to replicate Jathi Ratnalu’s magic, the film ends up feeling like a watered-down and forgettable effort. Despite a few moments that work in isolation, the lack of organic humor and narrative flow prevents it from becoming an engaging comedy.
Read Also: Bhartha Mahasayulaki Wignyapthi Review: a Fun Festive Entertainer