Tag: Rahul Ravindran

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Rewind 2025: Looking at films through gender, caste lens

This is an overview of Hindi, Telugu and a few Tamil and Malayalam movies, released in 2025, with gender and caste sensibilities.

Synopsis: Caste and gender-based plots are not alien to Tamil and Malayalam movies. The year 2025 saw Hindi and Telugu movie industries, too, realistically portraying caste and gender issues that we come across in present-day life. While some movies explicitly presented the issues, others were covert, often delegated to subplots. Though women were mainly used as props — to fall in love with the male protagonist — a few movies had women-centric narratives. There were female superheroes, too, in ‘Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra’ (Malayalam) and ‘Thamma’ (Hindi). Overall, the year promised better, more realistic cinema in future.

Caste-based storylines are not new in Tamil and Malayalam cinema. Surprisingly, cinemas in 2025 saw strong caste sensibilities reflected in Hindi and Telugu also. Dhadak 2, Homebound, Phule, Court, Uppu Kappurambu and 23 Iravai Moodu are some examples.

In Uppu Kappurambu, the caste angle is farcically comic, while other movies treat it seriously,  apart from raising pertinent questions. They make the viewers ponder caste inequalities, which exist years after the country gained independence.

In ‘serious films’ like Homebound, Phule and Dhadak 2, the caste, gender and religious discriminations are explicit, but in ‘slice of life’ and ‘light-hearted entertainers’ — such as Little Hearts (Telugu) and Aap Jaisa Koi (Hindi) —  they are obliquely presented.

Little Hearts is essentially a teenage romcom with an interesting plot. A laudable twist in the movie is when the female protagonist, Akula Khathyayani (played by Shivani Nagaram), displays her underlying strength while standing up for her love and career choice.

In Aap Jaisa Koi, director Vivek Soni looks at society’s double standards in dealing with women’s desires in an arranged marriage set up. Finding the female perspective in these films is more challenging. One has to go beyond the first look to see the gender dimension.

Sadly, in the increasing age of pan-Indian cinema, strong female characters are few and far between, as female leads are mostly used as either damsels in distress or glam dolls. The sexual gaze in films like Devara and War 2 is apparent.

In Devara, Janhvi Kapoor’s character Thangam’s role is to lust after the hero. In War 2, Wing Commander Kavya Luthra (Kiara Advani) is supposed to be a tough soldier, but her role’s highlight turned out in a bikini.

Even in the latest blockbuster, Dhurandhar, the college-going heroine, Yalina Jamali (Sara Arjun), does nothing other than fall for the hero. Seeing all these movies, one is tempted to say that smaller films have more gender sensibilities.

Earlier, the assumption was that gender and caste sensitivities were strictly confined to ‘arthouse’ movies because the politics presented were stark and in your face. However, this scenario has changed with some mainstream movies also questioning the oppressive practices regarding caste and women.

The emergence of new voices, both behind and in front of the camera, makes this scenario more refreshing. For instance, movies like Court, Dhadak 2 and Little Hearts have debutant directors. Similarly, the casts of these movies don’t always boast of big names. This trend is good for the industry it could present more novel stories.

Following is a peek into the movies that have both caste and gender, either separately or together.

Serious films

Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2 (Hindi), a remake of the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal, presents a solid combination of caste and gender. Dhadak-2 primarily focuses on the evolution of Neelesh ‘Neel’ Ahirwar (Siddhant Chaturvedi), a timid young man, growing up to one fighting for self-respect.

Through Neel, the film depicts latter-day caste discrimination, whether it is in a city or a rural setting. The import of caste is apparent in the constant jibes, including on the reservation, fired at Neelesh. He bears the insults for long, but his character undergoes a change by the middle of the second half, and he is forced to stand up against those taunting him.

Tripti Dimri’s Vidhi Bharadwaj, on the other hand, is an upper-caste Brahmin, more privileged than Neelesh, but has her own battles to fight. Her biggest battle involves a truly despicable cousin, Ronnie Bharadwaj (Saad Bilgrami). He believes that Vidhi is bringing dishonour to the family by falling in love with a Dalit.

Ronnie comes with a huge sense of entitlement. One of the standout scenes in Dhadak 2 is Vidhi’s showdown with Ronnie. She tears into his patriarchal mindset. In her journey with Neelesh, Vidhi also becomes more aware of the caste realities, making their romantic relationship a political rebellion.

Neeraj Ghaywan’s sophomore feature Homebound (Hindi) is a highly impactful film. Shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, it makes the viewers contemplate the everyday struggles of the marginalised — in this case, a Dalit and a Muslim.

The movie has many scenes depicting the main characters getting taunted over their religion and caste, all of which are familiar, but most Indians prefer to ignore them without responding. Vishal Jetwa’s Chandan Kumar Valmiki tries to hide his caste identity till the movie’s end. His caste identity is revealed only after his death.

Homebound also features a couple of strong women. Sudha Bharti (Janhvi Kapoor), as a more empowered Dalit, has striking dialogues when she talks about Ambedkar’s philosophy of education, organisation and agitation.

In one scene with Chandan, she encourages him to complete his education, which will help him overcome the caste barriers. Chandan’s sister, Vaishali (Harshika Parmar), has a brief but important role. There is strength to the character, especially when she reminds her brother about why she couldn’t attend college like him.

Anant Narayan Mahadevan’s Phule (Hindi) is another movie that blends caste with gender. The movie is a biopic about two social revolutionaries, Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule.

The husband and wife duo fought relentlessly for girls’ education and against the horrific caste discrimination. Jyotiba (portrayed in the biopic by Pratik Gandhi) himself went against his family by educating his wife.

One of the standout scenes in Phule involves Patralekha’s Savitribai holding her ground when threatened by a man from a ‘dominant’ caste. Throughout the movie, Savitribai is presented as an equal to her husband, even involved in more social work than him.

At every step, Jyotiba acknowledges his wife’s contribution, making Phule a solid tale of companionship.

23 Iravai Moodu (Telugu), directed by Raj Rachakonda, is about two poverty-ridden lower-caste men trying to rob a group of bus passengers. In an unfortunate turn of events, the bus catches fire, killing 23 people.

The actions of these two men are horrible, and the movie does not absolve them of their wrongdoings. But at the same time, there are intentional crimes committed by men of higher social strata.

However, they don’t toil in jail like these two men because of their standing in the social hierarchy. Even in jail, some of the works assigned to these two men reflect their caste.

The gender angle is represented with the female character Suseela, played by Tanmai. Suseela is facing the stigma of becoming a mother before marriage. Despite the numerous difficulties, there is an inner strength to the character. Suseela manages to make a living while fighting her own battles.

Ram Jagadeesh’s Court (Telugu) looks at the misuse of the POCSO Act through a teenage love story. Caste is an important part of the movie, but is not directly implied.

However, in two scenes, viewers get an idea of the hero’s caste background. The character Mangapathi (Shivaji) holds a mirror to numerous family patriarchs with a false sense of honour regarding young women. The defeat of a despicable man like him, both a casteist and misogynist, feels satisfying.

Santosh (Hindi), written and directed by Sandhya Suri, mixes caste with gender in an excellent manner. The story is about Santosh Saini, a widowed housewife-turned-police constable. Sandhya has added the systematic oppression of the Dalit community through a khap panchayat in the movie, which has been banned in India.

An important part of Santosh — banned in India — is the friendship between two women, a constable and an officer. Their scenes together have given the movie some of its best moments.

Mari Selvaraj’s Bison Kaalamaadan (Tamil) is based on the life of legendary kabaddi player Manti P Ganesan, nicknamed Bison. The film is a rousing tale of breaking numerous societal shackles.

A predominant barrier is caste. The caste name is not exactly specified, but we can easily make out that Dhruv Vikram’s ‘Vanaththi’ Kittan belongs to the marginalised section. Some of the conversations and also the obstacles he faces reflect his caste background.

The film also has a brief gender angle involving Anupama Parameswaran’s Raani. Raani is seven years older than the hero, but is clear about marrying him. This, too, came out in an impactful manner, especially in the temple sequence with Raani defying her brother.

Women-centric narratives

Rahul Ravindran’s The Girlfriend (Telugu) is a well-made feminist story questioning toxic masculinity. The movie focuses on a young woman’s battle to leave a dominating relationship.

Rahul, who has also written the story, does a smart job in using the Arjun Reddy (Dir: Sandeep Reddy Vanga, 2017) space but from a female perspective.

Unlike Shalini Pandey in Arjun Reddy, Rashmika Mandanna’s Bhooma Devi doesn’t remain a passive partner, but grows into an assertive woman, amply revealed in the break-up scene showing her perspective on why she doesn’t want a guy like Vikram alias Vicky (Dheekshith Shetty). The Ma Durga symbolism in the climax, with Rashmika letting it all out, represents the female rage.

Suparn Verma’s Haq (Hindi) is a gripping tale of perseverance and battle for one’s rights. It is inspired by the landmark 1985 Shah Bano case. The Supreme Court judgement reshaped the concept of legal rights for divorced Muslim women.

The movie is about society conveniently normalising abuse and twisting laws to silence women. The core theme of Haq is wonderfully captured in an important conversation between Yami Gautam’s Shazia Bano and her husband’s second wife, Saira Jahan (Vartika Singh).

It goes like this: “Kabhi kabhi mohabbat kafi nahi hoti, izzat bhi zaruri hoti hai” (Sometimes love isn’t enough, respect is also necessary). The statement sums up the battle of both the real and fictional Shah Bano.

Aarti Kadav’s remake of the acclaimed Malayalam movie, The Great Indian Kitchen, as Mrs (Hindi) is shinier but projects the same issues. A housewife’s daily grind is the movie’s central theme. Sanya Malhotra’s Richa Sharma wants to do something with her life, but is caught in a depressing cycle of feeding her husband and father-in-law.

Richa’s routine almost wears her down, but in a crucial turn of events, she decides to take matters into her hands. Richa’s graph — from a lively young girl to almost succumbing to patriarchy — is both well-written and portrayed.

Songs of Paradise (Hindi) by Danish Rezu is a relevant take on the resilience and rebellion against social norms. Through the tale of Kashmir’s first female singer, Padma Shri Raj Begum, the movie focuses on pursuing one’s interests without giving in to societal oppression.

The film does a fine job of celebrating the singer’s defiance. One of the most impactful dialogues in Songs of Paradise involves Saba Azad (as young Zeba Akhtar/Noor Begum) and a male character.

The dialogue, relatable to most Indian women, goes, “You’re a man; you look for an opportunity to showcase your talent. We, women, seek excuses to pursue our hobbies.”

Praveen Kandregula directed two important women-sensitive stories in Telugu, viz., Paradha and Subham. Paradha is a social drama, questioning archaic traditions along with the depiction of a strong bond of sisterhood between the three main characters. It also delves into how women should be more open-minded and inclusive.

Subham is a whacky ride filled with laughs and a strong feminist message. Critiquing the regressive content of TV serials and the alpha male concept is Shubham’s main theme.

The ultimate message of Subham is understanding and empathising with the women in our lives. The film doesn’t shy away from taking digs at the presentation of our mainstream protagonists through an important scene of the three women questioning the serial hero on his clichéd perception of women.

Bad Girl (Tamil), directed by Varsha Bharath, is a well-made coming-of-age story from a female perspective. It shows the process a young, freedom-yearning woman, Ramya (Anjali Sivaraman), from an orthodox family, undergoes to find liberation through a series of bad relationships.

Anjali does a good job in showcasing the emotional journey of the titular protagonist — how she grapples with societal expectations, personal aspirations and of course, her romantic relationships.

Another highlight of Bad Girl is the track of the mother and daughter. Through this subplot, the movie delves into generational differences. The ups and downs of heated arguments are relatable for many modern young women. The celebration of female friendships also enriched the movie.

Janaki V v/s State of Kerala (Malayalam), directed by Pravin Narayan, is about a woman exercising her right over her body. It is about a sexual assault survivor’s choice of keeping the baby or opting for abortion. The movie questions the failure of the state and the law in supporting the fundamental rights of a sexual assault survivor.

It does a fair job in portraying the emotional trauma faced by Anupama Parameswaran’s Janaki Vidhyadharan, both from the assault and the legal system. Pertinent points are raised about protecting fundamental rights.

Chhorii 2 (Hindi), directed by Vishal Furia, features a mother’s fight against a dangerous cult. More than the paranormal entities, the ghost here is patriarchal, justified in the name of tradition.

An important aspect of Chhorii 2 is the imagery of a narrow tunnel. This tunnel becomes an allegory for the representation of social structures suffocating multiple generations of women.

A Mention must also be made about the director’s use of  Soha Ali Khan as Daasi Maa. She is both a villain and a victim. It is very satisfying to see Daasi Ma joining hands with the protagonist (Nushrratt Bharuccha’s Sakshi). The two women standing together against the patriarchal cult is a powerful symbol of female power.

Jayant Digambar Somalkar’s Marathi movie Sthal is a strong critique of forced arranged marriages, where a girl is treated as a commodity. Unlike using the usual arranged marriage setup as a prelude to romance, this film reflects how families consider a girl as a financial burden, who must be “packed off” at the earliest.

The irony here is the juxtaposition of Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary with the ritual of the female protagonist getting decked up as a doll. The movie ends on a powerful note with the girl standing up and breaking the fourth wall like the other impactful Marathi movie, Fandry.

Chandu Mondeti’s Thandel (Telugu) draws inspiration from a real-life incident involving a group of Indian fishermen. The film features a strong female protagonist, Sathya (Sai Pallavi). In the second half, she becomes an important pillar of support for the fishing community.

There is a deep strength in the way Sathya combats her inner dilemmas while at the same time doing her best to free the men from a Pakistani jail. She succeeds in making sure that the households don’t go hungry. At one point, Sathya is also called Thandel Rani. She is someone who is seen as a leader in her own right rather than just being a love interest of Naga Chaitanya’s Raju.

Light-hearted and slice of life 

On the surface, Anil I.V. Sasi’s Uppu Kappurambu (Telugu) looks like a farcical comedy, but in essence, it is about a woman sarpanch, Apoorva (Keerthy Suresh), finding her feet.

The very thought of a woman sarpanch frustrates the dominant caste. As the story progresses, Apoorva transforms from naïve and under-confident to eventually taking things head-on.

The caste politics come from a lack of space in a graveyard. There are scenes of two dominant castes fighting for more space based on lineage.

Little Hearts (Telugu), directed and written by Sai Marthand, revolves around two not-so-bright students and their coming of age. The movie has some important passages, elevating it from just being a fun ride.

One of these includes the agency given to Shivani Nagaram’s Akula Khathyayani in the movie’s latter half. Even the interval point with Kathyayani slapping Nalli Akhil Kumar (Mouli Tanuj Prasanth) as he addresses her as ‘aunty’ is a reflection of her strong-willed nature.

There is an understated strength to her character. This reflects in her taking charge of the relationship and quietly assuming responsibility to work it out. All this combined makes her hard as steel, as Akhil comments in the end. The age gap of three years, with the heroine being older than the hero, also makes Little Hearts an unconventional love story.

Anupam Kher’s second directorial venture, Tanvi the Great (Hindi), is an important tale of inclusivity with a strong female lead. Shubhangi Dutt’s Tanvi suffers from autism, but her passion for joining the army makes her overcome the challenges.

The movie’s core theme is perseverance and fighting against all odds. In spite of some unbelievable leaps, the viewers root for her.

Aap Jaisa Koi (Hindi), directed by Vivek Soni, is a feminist movie under the guise of a romantic comedy. The director used a familiar arranged marriage setup to deliver stinging lessons on patriarchy, especially on the society’s double standards on women’s desires and sexuality.

The most important subplot is connected to Kusum Tripathi (Ayesha Raza), an emotionally neglected housewife. She is often a victim of casual sexism. How the character breaks out of conventions by following her heart is a major highlight.

Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino (Hindi) features an important subplot with Neena Gupta’s Shibani Ghosh breaking out of a self-imposed rut in her twilight years. The movie gives an empowering message to women of taking life into their hands. The same can be seen in Konkana Sen Sharma’s Kajal Ghosh Sisodiya, also. Her strong attitude comes out well in dealing with her husband’s infidelity.

In 3 BHK Flat (Tamil), Meera Raghunath’s Aarti Vasudevan puts up with an unhappy marriage for a long time. But she never shares her woes with her family to avoid burdening them. However, a particular incident makes her snap, and she breaks out of it.

There is a poignant dialogue where Aarthi asks ‘Is abuse just physical?’ going beyond the traditional definition. How Aarti starts life afresh is inspiring for numerous women who go through marital abuse but may not have the strength to come out of it.

Mythical/Folklore

Both Dominic Arun’s Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra (Malayalam) and Aditya Sarpotdar’s Thamma (Hindi) feature mythical women defying the general trope of the knight in shining armour.

Both are women-centric superhero movies. While Lokah is a fantasy film dealing with real-world issues, Thamma is about a half-vampire/half-human breaking out of her tribe to fulfil her love.

In Lokah, Police Inspector Nachiyappa Gowda (Sandy) doesn’t like women with a modern outlook, and it is visible on more than one occasion. The female protagonist, representing a superwoman, Chandra aka Neeli (Kalyani Priyadarshan), takes on patriarchal structures while also standing up against an organ-trafficking racket.

Thamma, on the other hand, features a strong woman protagonist, Taraka/Tarika, portrayed by Rashmika Mandanna. Taraka is half-vampire and half-human. She goes against her tribe by following her heart. The character has a good mix of emotional vulnerability and ferociousness.

Oftentimes, it is Taraka who saves Ayushmann Khurrana’s Alok Goyal. This movie, for the most part, reverses the knight in shining armour trope.

A year ending on a strong footing

From the above-listed movies, we can see a growing trend of telling stories about different social realities: the new-age directors are taking up fresh themes, especially relating to caste and gender.

In these movies, the aspect of exercising choice comes out strongly. Also, the protagonists, whether it is the hero or heroine, are not rebels by design.

For example, in Paradha Anupama Parameswaran’s character, Subbalakshmi aka Subbu, does not make a statement about oppressive practices. She is a firm believer in traditions, but her perspective changes significantly due to her exposure to the outside world and her interactions with other women she comes across.

In Bison, too, the hero’s love for Kabaddi is what drives him to break the societal shackles. He was not born with a rebellious streak.

Another interesting aspect about these movies is the social milieu in which they are set. Small towns and rustic village atmosphere provide a fresh vibe. Apart from these movies having new-age actors, even the established commercial actors are experimenting with newer roles, like Janhvi Kapoor playing a Dalit in Homebound — and it is refreshing.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).

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Best of Telugu movies (2025): An all-round year for Nani and the storm of Little Hearts

An overview into some of the most impactful Telugu movies of the year irrespective of their box office results: also, the emergence of new actors who have made quite an impact with elements of caste and gender  

The year of 2025 like 2024 has belonged to small and medium budget films. A very distinctive feature among the successful films are the star casts featuring new kind of leading actors without the baggage of stardom. This is particularly true in the case of Court, Little Hearts and Mirai.

Court backed by popular actor Nani is an important social movie talking about the misuse of POCSO and also the caste structure. Director Ram Jagadeesh effectively used the set-up of a teenage love story to explore these topics. What also makes Court special is that the film is Ram Jagadeesh’s directorial debut.

Little Hearts written and directed by Sai Marthand is also a debut feature like the above mentioned Court. This too features a teenage love story but with a different social set up. The heroine in this movie Kathyayini (Shivani Nagaram) isn’t just 3 years older to the hero: she is also a strong-willed protagonist. This clearly comes out in the way of Kathyayini taking charge of the relationship. The interval point with her slapping Mouli’s Akhil when he asks are you aunty is another solid example of her strong-willed nature. Little Hearts is a perfect mix of coming of age with some adorable rom com moments.  Director Sai Marthand was thoroughly successful in entertaining the viewers. Not surprisingly the film turned out to be very profitable.

Kathyayini slapping Mouli’s Akhil as he asks whether she is aunty

Mirai directed by Kartik Gattameneni followed the template of Teja Sajja’s last Hanuman. Nevertheless, the movie was an engaging visual spectacle with strong back stories for the hero and the antagonist. Like Hanuman here too Teja Sajja pulled off the character’s transformation with ease. With Mirai Teja Sajja proved that he is here to stay. Manchu Manoj also shined in the negative role with a commanding voice.

Among the popular actors Nani had a double dhamaka both as an actor and producer. As an actor Nani hit it out of the park with the violent crime thriller Hit 3. The movie presented Nani in his most ferocious avatar till date, and he nailed the nailed the different shades.

Senior performer Venkatesh made a good comeback after the underwhelming Saindhav in 2024. Anil Ravipudi delivered a perfect Sankranti entertainer with an in form Venkatesh. As a man caught between his wife and ex girlfriend while handling an important task at hand Venkatesh raised many chuckles with his expressions and a wonderful sense of comic timing. Both Aishwarya Rajesh and Meenakshi Choudhary also added to the fun with their respective acts. A special mention though must be made of the child actor Bheemla Revanth Pavan Sai Subhash. He was simply boisterous with the OTT inspired curses. The child actor shared a wonderful chemistry with Venkatesh.

Another senior actor Nagarjuna had a solid year as well with two contrasting roles in Kuberra and Coolie. In Kuberra Nagarjuna played a conflicted CBI officer with panache, he brought out the inner dilemmas in an excellent manner. Coolie on the other hand saw Nagarjuna as an out out villain. He clearly had a blast playing an unhinged antagonist.

Among the actresses both Anupama Parameswaran and Rashmika Mandanna had strong roles in Paradha and The Girlfriend respectively. Both these movies feature women protagonists of a certain type. How the thought process changes and the eventual transformation is a delight to watch. In case of Paradha its about questioning archaic traditions. The Girlfriend on the other hand had one of the best climaxes in 2025 with Rashmika’s Bhooma letting it all out and a Maa Durga symbolism.

Following are some of the most impactful Telugu movies of the year

Court: Ram Jagadeesh’s Court is an important social drama led by an excellent cast. The movie threw light on a sensitive issue like misuse of POCSO. In today’s age of increasing macho heroes it was refreshing to see a story of two underdogs. In a way the film follows the template of Jolly LLB universe nevertheless Court is an engaging movie. A very important aspect of Court is its subtle depiction of caste hierarchies without spelling it loud. This comes out in two instances primarily. One is the heroes’ mother ironing clothes as a profession and the second one is Harshvardhan’s character saying to Priyadarshi on why he wants to save the protagonist, after all he is just a watchman’s son. The teenage love story featuring Harsh Rohan and Sridevi Appala has also had its highs especially the sequences of Premalo song. The performances led by a terrific Sivaji are an icing on the cake. Sivaji absolutely embodied the caste fanaticism and the misogynistic attitude. Priyadarshi as the underdog lawyer was good too with some important dialogues on how the judicial system needs to follow certain discretion. Both the young leads Harsh and Sridevi Appala did a fine job as well, but the former stood out in portraying the pain of a young man caught in a complex scenario.

Kuberra: Sekhar Kammula and Chaitanya Pingali’s Kuberra is easily the director’s most socio-political movie till date. Movies about financial scams aren’t new by any means but what makes the difference here is the integration of beggar’s community. Dhanush’s Deva is an underdog hero transforming into an unlikely champion. Through an underdog hero played by Dhanush the movie gives a relevant message on what true wealth means. It talks about how true wealth should help in improving people’s lives and not just hoarding riches.

Apart from a terrific Dhanush and Nagarjuna the integration of Rashmika’s Sameera was also well done. As a young woman caught in a major tussle Rashmika did a fine job in portraying the inner strength. Jim Sarbh too perfectly embodied the power-hungry capitalistic attitude with his demeanour. The movie also featured some impactful dialogues. They were often laced with philosophical undertones especially the scene of Rashmika where she talks about all of them being beggars in some way or other. The dialogue goes like this “I begged freedom from my parents. I begged my boyfriend to not break up with me. I begged my friend to let me stay at her place for a few days and now I’m begging people to give me a job. So all of us are beggars in some way or others, they are also dialogues critiquing capitalism in an impactful manner. The production design by Thota Tharani also played a crucial role in building an authentic atmosphere.

The Girlfriend: Rahul Ravindran’s The Girlfriend is a strong slap on toxic masculinity endorsed by the likes of Arjun Reddy and Animal. The movie focuses on the transformation of a timid woman Bhooma (an outstanding Rashmika Mandanna). How she goes from scared to a more assertive individual is a delight to watch in spite of a slow burn approach.

A lot of Bhooma’s suffocation is shown through symbolism and magic realism like the impactful interval sequence. Both the writing and Rashmika’s performance makes the viewers empathize with Bhooma’s struggles of wanting to break out.

The Girlfriend also has strong scenes of sisterhood. The scenes between Anu Emanuel and Rashmika though not a lot in number are a treat to watch, as Durga Anu brings in the required warmth especially in the sequence where she warns Bhooma about Dheekshith Shetty’s Vikram not being the right guy. As the controlling boyfriend Dheekshith Shetty was in top form too.

Little Hearts: Little Hearts directed by Sai Marthand is a fun coming of age tale with some good rom com moments. The movie features two protagonists who aren’t exactly the brightest bulbs when it comes to studies. The plot follows their journey from meeting at long distance coaching to a journey together. Akhil played by a wonderful Mouli is nursing the wounds of an intermediate break up when he meets Shivani Nagaram’s Kathyayini. What seems to be a temporary recourse develops into something deeper. A strong aspect of Little Hearts is the different process of love for the two protagonists. Unlike Akhil who gets instantly smitten by Kathyayini’s Ishqzaade hairstyle. She takes her own time in trusting the protagonist. Kathyayini comes with a very clear thought process of marrying whom she loves. Throughout the second half she comes across as a binding factor being a teacher/girlfriend as per the situation. The way she brings the change in Akhil without getting into a screechy mode like the wonderful bus sequence is a delight to watch. There is a moment in the bus when Akhil is about to abuse, and Kathyayini gives a hard look. She doesn’t say anything but it’s enough for Akhil to change his tone to more respectful. This is followed by a smile on Kathyayini face. Even when the matter gets serious at her home Kathyayini defends Akhil by saying that she proposed to him first which isn’t actually true. No wonder Akhil says he cannot leave her no matter what. Mouli absolutely nailed this important monologue elevating the movie from just a comedy. An important aspect of the pre climax more than standing for Akhil is the female autonomy with Kathyayini being the steering wheel of where the relationship is headed, this also reflects in the career choice later on. All this combined make her a steel rod and Shivani Nagaram did a very good job in bringing alive these qualities. What also added to the movie was Jai Krishna’s comic timing. His constant doubts about Akhil and Kathyayini’s love being doomed only to be proven wrong was terrific. The Bahubali parallels also came out well adding to the entertainment quotient. Among the senior actors both Rajeev Kanakala and SS Kanchi made their presence amply felt.

Thandel: Chandoo Mondeti’s Thandel is inspired from a real life incident involving a group of fishermen caught in Pakistani waters. The jingoism aspect coupled with the sketchy Pakistani characters did pull the movie down still the movie had a heartfelt love story. The director did a fine job in exploring the lives of fishermen bringing out a strong sense of brotherhood among the community. Thandel also benefitted from a strong technical department coupled with Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s strong acts. Devi Sri Prasad’s score boasted of melodious songs like “Bujji Thalli” and “Hilesso Hilessa”. As Raju and Satya Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi did a very good fine job in portraying the emotional complexities. Before Raju and his group drift into the Pakistani waters a major conflict arises between the couple threatening to destroy their relationship. These conflict points were handled well with the audiences understanding the dilemmas of both. The character of Sai Pallavi’s Sathya becomes an important anchor for the fishing community when Raju is stuck in Pakistan Jail. The strong inner strength is palpable in the way she takes things head on. This gender aspect also adds an interesting layer.

Andhra King Taluka: Mahesh Babu Pachigolla’s Andhra King Taluka is an engaging love letter relatable for numerous fans. Unlike Maneesh Sharma’s movie Fan this one does a much better job in using the emotional bond between a devotee and his favourite actor. A big strength of Andhra King Taluka is the climatic portion featuring heartfelt conversations between Ram’s Sagar and Upendra’s Surya. The positive influence of Surya on Sagar in overcoming anxiety issues and tackling challenges head on moves the audiences.

Ram Pothineni has always been a capable actor but the choices have always been a problem: But Andhra King Taluka showed the actor’s potential in an excellent manner. Ram delivered a knock out act especially the interval block. It is an emotionally charged moment and Ram did an excellent job. Upendra too lent in gravity as Sagar’s idol. The vulnerabilities of a major star came out well through his role. Upendra especially shined in the pre climax when Surya bares his soul out.  Andhra King Taluka makes for an engaging watch especially if you have been a diehard fan yourself.

Paradha &Subham: Praveen Kandregula’s Paradha and Subham are two very important women sensitive Telugu movies of the year. Paradha on one hand questioned the practice of archaic traditions through a fictional village. By using the veil as a symbolism Praveen Kandregula talked about the different kinds of obstacles faced by women. The movie also featured a strong sense of sisterhood among the three women protagonists in spite of the varied age gap and different social backgrounds. Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana and Sangeeta delivered powerful performances as well enhancing the narrative. Anupama was particularly good in bringing out the transformation from blind belief to becoming more liberated.

Subham on the other hand used the horror comedy format to question the stale nature of TV serials along with the concept of alpha male. A major highlight of Subham was the second husband played an excellent Gavireddy Srinivas. The actor generated a lot of humour as a proud alpha whose pride is massively hurt. The movie gave an important message on the necessity of communication in a marriage and understanding the women in your life rather than trying to be rough.

Anaganaga (ETV Win): Anaganga streaming on ETV Win has a simplistic core but an important message on the need to reinvent education system. The emotional drama featuring Sumanth and Viharsh as the son worked extremely well. How Viharsh’s character gradually gets over his stage fear and also academics gave some poignant moments.

The husband and wife arguments with Kajal Choudhary playing a strict principal were also well written. In spite of some major ideological differences between the two there are also understated romantic moments like Sumanth’s Vyas pacifying his wife. Later she too understands the husband’s point of view.

Director Sunny Sanjay also did a good job in showcasing the dark side of academic competition. You have a disturbing scene of class toppers awarded on the podium; on the other hand those who have failed are publically called out. The message regarding the need for empathy in education and how the race for top ranks is harmful in the long run came out in an impactful manner.

Uppu Kappurambu: Uppu Kappurambu on Amazon Prime is a whimsical social satire with an excellent Suhas. Director Ani. V Sasi flipped the popular Telugu poem on its head by saying that everyone is equally important.

The plot features a caste angle through what seems to be a bizarre fight over graveyard control. On the surface it may seem idiotic but the caste disparities with two influential families fighting it out is both funny and thought provoking.  Keerthy Suresh as a woman sarpanch takes a while to get going but the national award-winning actress soon settled down giving a very fine performance. Suhas as the graveyard caretaker Chinna was simply superb getting into the skin of the character with ease. He especially stood out in the scene when talking to the dead as if they are long lost friends.

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The Girlfriend: A strong slap to Arjun Reddy and Animal’s endorsement of toxic masculinity

Director Rahul Ravindran tells a much-needed tale of a young woman taking life into her own hands and not crumbling in timidity. Rahul Ravindran who has also written the story does an extremely fine job in analyzing why a certain kind of men prefer their partners to be a doormat rather than self-assured. The messaging might be a little too much in the face for a section of audiences but there is no doubt about The Girlfriend being a much-needed feministic tale

Starcast: Rashmika Mandanna, Dheekshith Shetty, Anu Emanuel, Rao Ramesh, Rahul Ravindran and others

Genre: Drama

Story, screenplay, direction and dialogues: Rahul Ravindran

Producers: Dheeraj Mogileni and Vidya Koppineedi

Production house: Geeta Arts and Dheeraj Mogilnineni Entertainment

Music: Hesham Abdul Wahab

Cinematography: Krishnan Vasant

Running time: 2 hours and 18 minutes

Its easy to see why The Girlfriend has been dismissed as female propaganda by some. The movie’s strong social commentary on controlling men and their belief system has been laid out in a stark manner. This obviously hasn’t gone down well with a section of men who consider feminism as a propaganda. The initial reels of The Girlfriend feels like a sequel to Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Arjun Reddy in more ways than one. The characterization of Dheekshith Shetty’s Vikram right down to the entitled nature has a major echo of Vijay Devarakonda of that film. However, what separates a movie like The Girlfriend is the feministic gaze through which Rahul narrates the story. The gradual transformation of Rashmika Mandanna’s Bhooma from bearing the suffocation of a toxic boyfriend to eventually breaking the shackles has been dealt with the required sensitivity. By the climax viewers are rooting for Bhooma and when the moment comes with a Durga ma symbolism you want to clap hard.

Rashmika Mandanna and Dheekshith Shetty from The Girlfriend

The storyline of The Girlfriend primarily focuses on a soft natured girl Bhooma. Bhooma is an extremely timid personality with confidence issues. Her big solace are books making her choose MA English literature. Bhooma also has aspirations of becoming a writer Dheekshith Shetty is Vikram. The paths of Bhooma and Vikram cross leading to a tumultuous journey.

A strong aspect of The Girlfriend is the layered approach taken by Rahul Ravindran. The transformation of Bhooma becoming more assertive doesn’t happen in a jiffy. The film has numerous scenes showcasing Bhooma’s inner dilemmas through the use of magical realism and symbols. For example, there is fantastic pre interval sequence with Rohini Molleti. Rohini plays the mother of Vikram, she has no dialogues, but a palpable fear of her son’s aggressive nature comes out in a vivid way. she doesn’t make eye contact with the son for not even a second. There is a portion of Rashmika looking into the mirror while checking the album of her prospective mother-in-law. In the album a younger Rohini comes across as lively and Bhooma wonders why the woman sitting in front of her is so different. In the mirror Bhooma sees her future life in Rohini’s saree.

There is also a scene in the restroom where Rashmika feels the walls are literally closing on her reflecting the starting of suffocation. This use of imagery adds a lot to the movie’s emotional core. Rahul Ravindran also deserves credit for how he does a psychoanalysis of men like Vikram. The molding of a women into a more of a caretaker than an equal partner and the reasons behind this thought process has come out wonderfully. There is a very important scene in which Vikram extols his mother’s caring nature and further adds on how women of this generation cannot match to the older generation.

He concludes by saying temples can be built for mothers like them. There is also a casual mention of domestic abuse without any criticism. These small but important nuances add depth to both Bhooma and Vikram.

The Girlfriend also does a good job in celebrating a strong bond of sisterhood in the portions featuring Anu Emanuel and Rashmika. Anu Emanuel’s Durga initially has a major crush towards Vikram but his treatment of Bhooma makes her introspect. How the two bond over a play bringing a different side to Bhooma is a delight to watch in spite of the less scenes. Anu Emanuel lends in a lot of warmth especially in the scene where she strongly cautions Bhooma on Vikram not being the right guy for her.

Rahul Ravindran also has an extended cameo as literature HOD. The role is an extension of Rahul’s real-life beliefs on the importance of female autonomy. Yes, the conversations between Rashmika and Rahul spells out the message a little too explicitly nevertheless Rahul does a fine job in portraying empathetic nature.

The biggest ace of The Girlfriend though is Rashmika’s fantastic performance. The actress absolutely imbibes the different shades of Bhooma. Whether it’s the initial timidity or gradually taking control of her life. The actress especially shines in showcasing the suffocation of Bhooma just through body language. Similarly, she owns the climatic moments too with ma Durga symbolism. The confidence with which Rashmika let’s it all out in a large campus crowd will give goosebumps. Dheekshith Shetty as the controlling boyfriend with a regressive thought process also makes his presence amply felt. The role doesn’t slip into a caricature at any point thanks to both the writing and the performance. The way he gradually brings out the manipulative streak under a supposedly caring nature is a treat to watch. Rao Ramesh as Bhooma’s father has a short but important role. He holds a mirror image to Vikram even though the scenes are overdramatic.

The music of Hesham Abdul Wahab is soulful too. The climactic song “Needhe Katha” is very intense working as a perfect culmination for Bhooma’s journey. Krishnan Vasanth’s cinematography is also of a fine standard especially in the scenes of magic realism.

Final word: The Girlfriend isn’t for those looking for comfort but for fans of feminist stories with strong women the film is a treat to watch.

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Jigra: A perfect mixture of an emotional drama and prison break

Director Vasan Bala does a good job in showcasing how sometimes anarchy is the best solution to fight against the system. Alia Bhatt perfectly embodies the tigress nature of Satya. Her actions aren’t always ethically right but the movie never judges her.

  • Starcast: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Rahul Ravindran, Vivek Gomber and others
  • Writer and director: Vasan Bala
  • Additional writer: Debashish Irengbam
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt and Soumen Mishra
  • Cinematography: Swanpil S. Sonawane
  • Music and background score: Achint Thakkar
  • Production Companies: Dharma Productions and Eternal Sunshine Productions
  • Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Stories about sibling love are pretty much a genre in itself. But stories from the perspective of a sister are few. Vasan Bala’s Jigra is one such tale combining two different genres. On one hand it is about an extremely protective sister who from childhood has taken it upon herself to look after her younger brother. Jigra begins with a little boy Ankur complaining of bullying by some of his classmates to his sister Satya. She assures him that the situation won’t repeat. This is followed by the scene of the father jumping off the roof. Satya covers her brother’s eyes so that he need not face the trauma. This moment best describes their relationship. The movie is also a social commentary on the delayed justice system forcing innocent prisoners to take things into their own hands. Vasan Bala has combined these two elements wonderfully despite an over stretched climax.

In simple terms the story of Jigra focuses on the wrongful imprisonment of Vedang Raina’s Ankur in a foreign prison. The place is Hanshi Dao a fictional country reminiscent of North Korea. Ankur along with his cousin goes there to meet an investor but unknown to Ankur the cousin is in possession of drugs. They are caught by the police while driving speedily. Both of them are immediately jailed leading to a harrowing situation for Ankur. Punishment for possessing drugs in that country is death by electric execution. The cousin manages to get away in spite of being a habitual offender, but Ankur is sentenced to death. There are other people too who have been wrongfully accused. Alia Bhatt’s Satya takes it upon herself to free her brother, facing innumerable hardships along the way. In a way she is like a female Amitabh Bachchan standing tall against all odds.

Alia Bhatt as Satya who would go to any lengths to protect her brother

One of the strong aspects of Jigra is Vasan Bala’s seamless handling of emotional drama with high-octane action moments. The first half is mostly devoted to the world of Satya and Ankur. He establishes their bond in an impactful manner without wasting much time. Satya may come across as too dominant, but the movie reflects real life situations where protective sisters are a reality. Satya’s personality is shaped by the traumatic incident of seeing her father’s death.

The first half also has some light moments that makes viewers chuckle. For example, there is a scene where Satya stuffs lot of food out of stress. The quizzical look of the air hostess played by Akansha Ranjan adds to the humor.

Alia Bhatt eating scene in Jigra

The second half shifts gears by focusing on the big escape plan. Aiding Satya in this jail breakout are a former gangster and a former cop Manoj Pahwa and Rahul Ravindran respectively. Manoj Pahwa’s son is also in prison. The senior actor effortlessly combines humor with pathos making a strong impact. Rahul Ravindran in his Bollywood debut portrays an ex-cop battling his own scars. His character Muthu initially wants to stay away from Satya’s audacious plan but soon joins in due to certain events. Unknown to Satya Ankur and his inmates are also designing their own escape plan making the second half more thrilling. Yes, the scenarios do get complicated but there is no denying the thrill quotient. There is even a dialogue by Manoj Pahwa’s Bhatia that the escape plan is getting complicated, so let’s make it easy. Mithu replies that this isn’t a masala movie to simplify things leading to some chuckles.

The second half also benefits immensely from fantastic cinematography and well shot action sequences. A particular mention must be made of the scene where Alia Bhatt and Rahul Ravindran battle it out in a jungle. Before this fight an incident happens creating rift between them making it hard for the viewers whom to side with. The fight ends with a hugely poignant moment. The jailbreak scene at the end feels like a real-life prison riot. Swapnil S Sonawane’s cinematography is impressive especially in these two sequences. Mention must also be made of Achint Thakkar’s immersive background score; it enhances the scenes of Alia battling it out. The music is well placed with special mention of the two songs sung by Vedang: The Jigra title track and the recreated version of Phooloon Ka Taaron Ka…

What also makes Jigra a big winner is how the director has written Alia’s character and her towering performance. There is an emotional intensity to Satya which the actress pulls off. Satya doesn’t claim to be virtuous; an argument between her and Rahul Ravindran perfectly captures the grey shades of Satya. She is just a determined sister who wants to get her brother out whatever the method and Alia is successful in bringing out those nuances, The good thing here is that Vasan Bala never takes a stand on Satya’s morality leaving the viewers to interpret her actions in their own way.

There is an emotional intensity to Satya which the actress pulls off

As far Rahul Ravindran’s Bollywood debut he has a solid role, and he does a fine job in portraying Muthu’s moral dilemmas. The scenes between him and Alia are easily one of the best parts of Jigra. Lastly Vedang Raina is pitch perfect as a naive young man caught in a complex web. His portrayal of anguish in the torture scenes deserves a major kudos. The actor also shares a wonderful chemistry with Alia.

Rahul Ravindran does a fine job in portraying Mithu’s moral dilemmas
Vedang Raina is pitch perfect as the naive young man caught in a complex web

A slight issue with Jigra is the overstretched climax which takes place on international waters. It doesn’t add much other than extending the proceedings.

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Guntur Kaaram Review: A Tired Rehash Of ‘Attarintiki Daredi’ And ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’

Watch it Mahesh Babu!

Guntur Kaaram (Telugu)

  • Cast: Mahesh Babu, Sreeleela, Jagapathi Babu, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Ramya Krishnan, Jayaram, and Prakash Raj
  • Director: Trivikram Srinivas
  • Producer: S Radha Krishna
  • Music: Thaman S
  • Runtime: 2 hours 39 minutes
  • Rating: 2

There is a profound line in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) where Jayaram’s character talks about how the greatest battles are fought with people closest to you.

As a filmmaker, Trivikram Srinivas seems fascinated with this concept and has constantly churned out movies along these lines — Attarantiki Daredi (2013), Agnayaathavaasi (2018) or his last blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo.

His latest outing Guntur Kaaram, too, has a similar theme and gives a déjà vu due to the presence of Jayaram.

The storyline of Guntur Kaaram has good scope for a festive family drama while also being a star vehicle. But here, Trivikram Srinivas falters in balancing the two aspects.

Mahesh Babu, as Ramana, is refreshing to watch.

Further, the film brings back the memories of his comic timing in Pokiri (2006) and Khaleja (2010).

Synopsis

Guntur Kaaram begins on an eventful night that ends with a murder. Jayarama’s royal Satyam is sent to prison. Vasundhara (Ramya Krishnan) disowns her husband (Jayaram) and son.

She gets remarried under the advice of her father Venkataswamy (Prakash Raj). Rahul Ravindran plays the hugely embarrassing role of Vasundhara’s second son, who is about to enter politics.

Vasundhara grows into an influential politician. Ramana becomes rowdy.

Venkataswamy feels “Rowdy” Ramana might become an obstacle and wants him to sign a document which would permanently erase him from her life.

However, Ramana refuses to sign the document despite never getting his mother’s love and care in his growing years.

As the story progresses, more layers reveal why Vasundhara has kept a distance from her husband and son.

Guntur Kaaram has a good beginning where the conflict is established without wasting time.

As viewers, you want to know the reasons behind her indifference. But the film soon stagnates as multiple characters are introduced whose relevance to the plot is better left unsaid.

Performances

Mahesh Babu in a still from Guntur Kaaram
Mahesh Babu in a still from ‘Guntur Kaaram’. (X)

There are a slew of actors who have been terribly wasted. Among them, the prominent ones are Jagapathi Babu, Rahul Ravindran, Rao Ramesh and Jayaram.

The comic punches definitely raise some chuckles.

Mahesh Babu’s comedic exchanges with Vennela Kishore are fun to watch. Their chemistry is reminiscent of Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2022).

Mahesh Babu also gets dialect well, and there is a certain carefree nature, which is refreshing to watch after his Bharat Ane Nenu (2018) and Maharshi (2019).

Prakash Raj makes the biggest impact in the supporting cast. His confrontation scenes with Mahesh Babu are good to watch.

Ramya Krishnan also delivers a commendable performance as Vasundhara but the film needed more scenes between her and Mahesh Babu.

Apart from the multiple characters, another big issue with Guntur Kaaram is the insipid love story between Ramana and Sreeleela’s Ammu.

Sreeleela entertains with her dance moves. Apart from that, there is nothing much for the actor to do. This is sad because Sreeleela showed good potential in Bhagavanth Kesari (2023).

There is also Meenakshi Chowdhary of Hit 2 (2022) fame. She is supposed to be the second female lead, but her only job is to offer Mahesh Babu a plate of omelette or a bottle of soda when he consumes alcohol.

The action sequences are formulaic in nature, with the standard hero elevations that get tiring after a point. These action sequences have some trademark Trivikram Srinivas humour. But these are not enough to salvage the slow narration.

Thaman’s music is suitably massy, but most songs come across as speed bumps in an already tired narrative.

Final take

Guntur Kaaram is a massive downfall for a man who delivered commercial films that can be watched on repeat mode!

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Shyam Singha Roy: Watch It For The Performances And Aesthetics

There is a lot to admire about Rahul Sankrityan’s Shyam Singha Roy. The theme of reincarnation isn’t something new in films but what makes the difference here is the narration. That is not to say that the film is flawless. The second half could have been trimmed down; also the climax is a letdown. However for most part the director makes you invested.

The story begins off with the struggles of a debut director Vasu (Nani plays both Vasu and Shyam Singha Roy). Vasu has ambitions of becoming a film director; in order to achieve that goal he starts off with a short film. The story is set but the issue is that Vasu is not able to find the heroine for his short film. At this point he comes across a postgraduate student played by Krithi Shetty of Uppena fame. Kriti’s character Keerty has no interest in films whatsoever let alone acting, but Vasu is convinced that she is the one. After some effort he is able to convince her. From here you have some romance between the two. The romance isn’t particularly something new but the staging of these scenes have a certain freshness to it. In between Vasu has flashes of Shyam Singa Roy. During those times he goes into a trance. Once he goes into a trance while getting intimate with Keerty and calls her Rose. This leads to a split between the two.

THE HEART OF SHYAM SINGHA ROY LIES IN THE FLASHBACK EPISODE OF THE SECOND HALF. THE DIRECTOR DEALS WITH MULTIPLE ISSUES STARTING FROM UNTOUCHABILITY.

Coming back to the short film it becomes a success. A producer asks him to come with up a bound script with the assurance that he would provide all the resources that Vasu needs. The film becomes a massive success and Vasu is asked to make the same film in Hindi.
Things are going very well but it is here that the life of Vasu turns upside down. He is accused of a plagiarism by a leading publication house. Their accusation is that Vasu has directly copied the stories of Bengali activist and writer Shyam Singha Roy. Vasu denies that he has copied these stories and this leads to an intriguing court case where history and religion are linked.

The heart of Shyam Singha Roy lies in the flashback episode of the second half. The director deals with multiple issues starting from untouchability. Later it goes to the Devadasi system and how the Devadasi’s are abused. The director makes a powerful statement on how they shouldn’t be slaves to anyone not even god. Yes the role of Shyam does fall under the upper caste savior but it still works.

SAI PALLAVI IS TERRIFIC IN BOTH THE DANCES AND ALSO OTHERWISE. SHE CONVEYS SENSUOUSNESS AND VULNERABILITY AT THE SAME TIME THROUGH HER DANCES.

The romance between the Devadasi woman ( Sai Pallavi) and Nani gives plenty of heartwarming moments. Sai Pallavi is terrific in both the dances and also otherwise. She conveys sensuousness and vulnerability at the same time through her dances. Their romance is built up well and the director makes sure that you root for them.

Another key character here is of Rahul Ravindran who plays one of Shyam Singa Roy’s brothers Manoj Singa Roy. Nani and Rahul Ravindran don’t have many scenes but their scenes are filled with warmth. Rahul Ravindran gives a strong performance but he is particularly impressive in his old man avatar in the pre climax. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Jishu Sengupta who plays the elder brother. It is a character which could have been played by anyone. It would have been best if Jishu had not played this role.

The contemporary bits in the first half are also hugely enjoyable. The comic scenes featuring Abhishek Gomatam and Nani raise lot of chuckles. The struggles of Vasu are something that many aspiring filmmakers would connect with. Kriti Shetty as Keerti has a very different role from Uppena and the actress makes her presence amply felt. What also makes the first half work is the role of Madonna Sebastain as lawyer Padmavati.

NOT SURPRISINGLY NANI IS SUPER EFFICIENT IN BOTH HIS ROLES. HE SHIFTS SEAMLESSLY BETWEEN THE BEWILDERED VASU AND THE DASHING SHYAM SINGA ROY.

Micky J Myer’s music is another strong pillar of Shyam Singa Roy. His compositions add a lot to the film. Malayalam cinematographer Sanu Varghese makes his Tollywood debut with this film. His cinematography deserves distinction marks. The way he captures the atmospherics in the second half is particularly commendable. Avinash Kolla’s art direction is also first rate.

Not surprisingly Nani is super efficient in both his roles. He shifts seamlessly between the bewildered Vasu and the dashing Shyam Singa Roy. His performance is a major reason why we buy into this recarnation drama.

Coming to the dampeners the big downer is the climax. It doesn’t make any sense to keep Sai Pallavi’s character alive. The director could have easily avoided that. It is not just melodramatic but plain unnecessary. It also doesn’t help that the prosthetic used are in no way convincing. Rahul Ravindran’s old man get up is far better than Sai Pallavi’s one.

Another problematic thing is how the director depicts the violent actions of Nani and Jishu Sengupta at different points in the film. There are two gory murders in the film but at no point we are told that they are punished leave alone a police case. Another problem is that we don’t see Shyam Singa Roy doing any activism post marriage. He does write books and also gives speeches but you don’t see much of on ground activism.

Irrespective of these flaws the film the movie is watchable and the director is promising.