‘The country needs me,’ says Agent Chaari or Chaari 111 (an effortlessly hilarious Vennela Kishore) in all earnestness. Only, those listening to it react with frustrated disbelief or laughter. The one in disbelief at his confidence is his boss, Prasad Rao (Murali Sharma), a former Army officer who now heads a secret agency named Rudranetra. The ones laughing are the audience who are watching a comedian tasked with a serious mission. Director T G Keerthi Kumar’s Telugu film imagines the possibilities of a comedian as a spy, helping to safeguard the nation. The results are mixed, with some portions of farcical fun and others that are uninteresting and underwhelming.
The naming of the secret service agency is a nod to Chiranjeevi’s film Rudranetra; incidentally, it all begins in a rundown movie theatre that functions as a meeting place. Chaari 111 is also a nod to international comedy action dramas such as Johnny English and the Pink Panther series. Along with Satya (the tech lead of the agency) and Thagubothu Ramesh (who is sober throughout and plays Kishore’s assistant), Kishore puts his stylish foot forward and generates plenty of silly laughs. The three are steadfastly serious in what they do, much to the amusement of those around them.
