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BRO (2023) Review – Rating, Verdict & Box Office | Tollybo

Last updated: 10 Jul 2026

BRO (2023) Review

BRO (2023) — a Telugu comedy, drama, family movie directed by Samuthirakani. The cast includes Sai Durgha Tej, Pawan Kalyan, Ketika Sharma. After being fatally injured in a car crash, a man is given three months back on earth to make amends. Our Rating: 2.25/5. Verdict: AVERAGE. Released: 28 Jul 2023. Runtime: 2h 13m.

BRO
AVERAGE

BRO(2023)

Telugu · Comedy, Drama, Family

2h 13m · 28 Jul 2023

Music: S. Thaman | DOP: Sujith Vaassudev | Writer: Samuthirakani

ComedyDramaFantasy

Ratings

123Telugu123Telugu3
IdlebrainIdlebrain3
M9 NewsM9 News2.25
Telugu360Telugu3602.5

Our Rating

2.25

📖 Story

Markandeyulu (Mark) is a workaholic who believes the world cannot function without him. After dying in a road accident, he meets 'Time' (Titan), who personifies himself as a deity. Mark bargains for more time to settle his family responsibilities. Titan grants him a 90-day extension, accompanying him on Earth to teach him that life goes on regardless of one's presence, leading to a journey of self-realization.

🔍 Analysis

BRO is a fantasy drama that attempts to balance a profound philosophical core with the massive commercial expectations of a Power Star film. The first half relies heavily on the chemistry between Pawan Kalyan and Sai Durgha Tej, peppered with numerous references to Pawan's vintage hits and political persona. While these moments provide fan service, they often stall the actual narrative progression.

The second half shifts toward a more emotional and spiritual tone as the protagonist realizes his dispensability. However, the screenplay by Trivikram Srinivas feels overstuffed with commercial tropes that dilute the soul of the original Tamil film, 'Vinodhaya Sitham'. The pacing is inconsistent, with the internal family conflicts feeling somewhat melodramatic and dated.

S. Thaman's background score is energetic and elevates the elevation scenes, though the original songs are less memorable than the remixed snippets of older hits. The VFX is notably subpar for a film of this scale, making some of the 'divine' sequences look artificial. Ultimately, the film works as a celebration of Pawan Kalyan's stardom but falls short of being a cohesive emotional drama.

🎭 Performances

Pawan Kalyan: Charismatic and effortless as 'Time'. His screen presence and comedic timing in the first half are the film's primary highlights.

Sai Durgha Tej: Delivers a sincere performance as the egoistic Mark. He holds his own alongside Pawan Kalyan, especially in the emotional climax.

Rohini: Standout supporting act; she brings significant emotional depth to the mother's character in the latter half.

Brahmanandam: Brief but effective cameo that provides a nostalgic spark.

💪 Strengths & Weaknesses

✅

Strengths

  • ✓Pawan Kalyan's screen presence and vintage swag
  • ✓Chemistry between the lead uncle-nephew duo
  • ✓Strong philosophical core and climax message
  • ✓Thaman's background score
❌

Weaknesses

  • ✕Subpar VFX and production values in fantasy sequences
  • ✕Over-reliance on fan-service and old song references
  • ✕Weakly written female characters and subplots
  • ✕Inconsistent pacing in the second half

🎬 Direction & Writing

Samuthirakani stays true to his original story's intent but struggles with the commercial additions requested for the Telugu market. Trivikram's writing includes sharp wit in places but occasionally feels like a collection of 'Power Star' elevation lines rather than cohesive storytelling.

📰 Critic Reviews

M9 NewsM9 News

Not Enough, Bro!

Telugu360Telugu360

Bro film works only for fans, subpar experience for all others. While trying to commercially elevate Pawan’s character, the writing team has overstuffed the fan elements aspect and lost the original soul of the film. Thaman’s energetic background score and Pawan’s past hit songs keep this film alive. An average film AT…

123telugu123telugu

On the whole, Bro is a fantasy drama that relies heavily on the performance of Pawan Kalyan. The star actor’s mannerisms and style will go well with fans. Sai Dharam Tej does a neat job, and a few of his scenes with Pawan came out well. The first half has some moments going its way. But the way emotions and drama is ha…

IdlebrainIdlebrain

We have seen many crime comedies with kidnap episodes since Money in Telugu. It’s a genre that’s pretty familiar. However, director Vivek Athreya has used an interesting screenplay coupled with right actors to narrate this simple story in an engaging manner. Plus points of the film are screenplay, casting and entertain…

📰 Ratings Sources

SourceRating
M9 NewsM9 News
2.25
Telugu360Telugu360
2.5
123Telugu123Telugu
3
IdlebrainIdlebrain
3

Our Rating

2.25/5
★★★★★★★★

💰 Box Office Collection

No collection data available yet.

🏛️ Centers & 🏅 Awards

No centers data available.

No awards data available.

🏆 Records & Box Office

  • - The film had a strong opening weekend due to star power but saw a significant drop in the following weekdays.

😊 Sentiment Breakdown & 🧠 Critics

TypeValue
PositiveHigh among hardcore fans for Pawan Kalyan's styling and references.
NeutralGeneral audience found it a one-time watch for the message.
NegativeCriticized for poor VFX and lack of fresh storytelling.

Critics

Critics mostly gave mixed reviews, noting that while the film is a treat for Pawan Kalyan fans due to the 'vintage' references, the emotional depth of the original was lost in commercialization.

Final Box-Office Result

AVERAGE

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

When did BRO release in theatres?▾

BRO released on 28 July 2023 (2023).

Is BRO a hit or flop?▾

BRO is declared a AVERAGE at the box office.

Where to watch BRO online? OTT release date?▾

BRO is available on Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix from 25 August 2023.

Who directed BRO?▾

BRO directed by Samuthirakani. Produced by T G Vishwa Prasad.

Who are the main cast members of BRO?▾

BRO stars Sai Durgha Tej, Pawan Kalyan, Ketika Sharma.

What is the Tollybo rating for BRO?▾

Tollybo rates BRO 2.25/5. Verdict: AVERAGE.

Who composed the music for BRO?▾

Music for BRO composed by S. Thaman.

What is the genre and runtime of BRO?▾

BRO — Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Runtime: 133 minutes, Language: Telugu.

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