"Pratinidhi" (Telugu Film Review)

Nara Rohit's films have so far been different. While "Baanam" was revolutionary, "Solo" was outright family entertainer with great comedy and performances. "Pratinidhi" promised to be intriguing from the trailer days and it was poetically timed for the elections but don't be over-expectant about the hype. It has some eye-popping provocations about the issues common man faces and packages them quite intelligently and convincingly in the backdrop of an exciting kidnap drama with a brief flashback but the narrative could have been better and arresting.

Prashant Mandava directs Nara Rohit as a people's representative who kidnaps the Chief Minister (Kota Srinivasa Rao)  when he comes to innaugurate an Old Age Home. He imprisons self and the CM in the vast house with a threat to kill the CM unless his demands are met. What are these demands? They grow, at first sight, sillier and curioser by the hour until the whole state gets swept by a tsunami of attention and goodwill. Police Commissioner (Posani Krishna Murali) encircles the house where the kidnapper relays his messages and demands while trying to unfathom the mysterious kidnapper's whereabouts and identity through only one source - Rohit's friend who agrees to share details of his friendship and association. The demands, those silly demands, meanwhile outgrow into a pattern that seems to connect the dots of a lot of issues and a few mysteries of a missing man and his son. The demands raised by Rohit are valid and thoroughly engrossing and tell a lot about the state of our democracy and the pace at which the government works: Despite the media's all-pervasive nature and 24/7 reporting, one of the key messages is that there is a paradox of choice amidst plenty of options: nobody really gets the big picture in the immediate aftermath of an event because the media doesn't ask questions that illuminate or decipher the truth.

The truth is unfolded, layer by layer, by the protagonist Nara Rohit himself, in the messages relayed outside the building and in his articulate interaction with Kota Srinivasa Rao who as the CM who gave one of his career-best performances. Kota asks questions that enhance the characterisation of himself and Rohit in ways that move the story forward. While the first half is about the demands, the second half gives an good twist to the plot with more seiousness sans romance and dull flashback which mars a few reels earlier. Why does the government take two hours to accept one simple demand? Can we de-notify the currency notes of higher denomination  - to drive out black money out of the "M3" circulation in the economy? Where is the money collected from the odd amounts rounded off on account of stupid taxes, cesses and VAT levies on petroleum, diesel and even hotel services going to? For example, if it costs Rs.72.84 per litre and we pay Rs.73, the rounding error itself comes to on a ball-park estimate of Rs.120 crore population times Rupees Two per day, as per the writer in the film.. That's a fair point and something that is fuelling black money and making some people richer.

With audacious demands like these underpinning the economic logic, Rohit gets war-room attention of the politicians and begins a change in the CM itself. The approach to this film is neat and fresh without stunts, vulgar dances or item songs or garrulous comedy or silly romance. Technically, there is only one song in the first half to give romantic relief with a forgettable heroine Shubra Ayyappa who is a let down. The second half has a few background songs that step on the gas for the hero's surge in popularity as the media amplifies his messages and their broader econo-political appeal. The approach to the story and the screenplay reminds you of "Wednesday" movie where the hero and the anti-hero see a paradigm-shift in their world views.

A promising tale told in 139 minutes with plenty of food for thought for our system and the polity that rides it. Good dialogues in the film by Rohit and Kota create an encore feeling. Music by Sai Kartheek is turning out better in RR , this is his second impressive BGM score after "Rowdy". Performances wise, Rohit is average though he has a baritone voice that is one of the best male voices in Tollywood today after Pawan Kalyan. But his repertoire is limited to poker-faced delivery that lacks variety and killer instinct. The most notable performance, make no mistake is that of Kota Srinivasa Rao, followed by Posani Krishna Murali. Director Prashant Mandava seems promising enough to tell a good story but the same film could have been made more intelligently and entertainingly to create a wider connect - the director has made the corruption issue more a monetary policy issue and leaves out many inconvenient issues that rock the state and the nation. What is tasteless is to show the late NTR as a great leader/thinker in the titles equating him with the likes of Che Guera, Gandhi, Tagore, etc. Secondly, I did notice that at interval time, they show all the past CMs of the state of AP  - Naidu, Rosaiah, NTR again, N Janardhan Reddy but show YSR in a split-micro-second. That makes the visuals political. Barring these, "Pratinidhi" is a watchable film with strong subtexts and thought-provoking issues. It could have been made better and more intense but is still better than so many commercial potboilers that come and go but don't linger on as much as "Pratinidhi".

Rating: 3/5

"Legend" (Telugu) Film Review

"Legend" is a mighty entertainer that is more intense than a T20 match and a perfect film for Balayya's aging persona which suits his films one way - the highway of high-octane action, violence, anti-gravity stunts and rabble-rousing and of course, sentiment. The film generated unprecedented buzz after its satellite rights were bought by Gemini for Rs.9 crores - that's the highest for any Telugu film. 

"Legend" is all about a 160 minute duel between the family of Balakrishna and Jagapathi Babu, a factionist who thrives on terrorising people and building capital. Jagapathi Babu sets foot on Vizag for a marriage alliance and runs into rough weather with Suman, father of Elder Balayya over a road accident. Jagapathi Babu is chastised by the folks and hauled up. Unrepentent Jagapathi Babu decides to make Vizag his new "adda" and systematically eliminates Balayya's mother and father Suman. Enraged, the young Balayya annihilates the brotherly gang of Jagapathi Babu. The never-ending saga of violence forces young Balayya's grandmother to isolate him into oblivion and pack off the younger one, again Balayya to Dubai. Destiny pulls both into finding their mojo in  aggrandizing weapons when confronted by Jagapathi & Co. On the whole, a regular fare but when you infuse this story with many layers of masala fare, glam dolls Sonal Chauhan and Radhika Apte to serenede the two Balayyas, an item song, bazooka violence, and  the tested  "Basha" flashback trick to elevate the character of the elder Balayya, the fans have got the feast of a lifetime from director Boyapati Seenu.

Performance-wise Balakrishna sizzles as the elder Balayya. He has the best dialogues in the film and delivered them with all the weighty modulations they deserve. His body language has shifted over the years with non-invasive hand-movements (unlike the late NTR) and that is working wonders for Balayya and getting scripts that dovetail.  The absence of other big stars in that space of godfatherly roles has increased the charishma of Balayya whenever he dons such roles. Boyapati Seenu's  strength in exploiting Balayya's strengths on screen once again creates a magical chord as the crowds erupt in joy and clap louder than the sounds spewed out of multiplex speakers. Dialogues by M Ratnam are some of the sharpest as the lines insinuate all glory of the Nandamuri lineage and take potshots at the new princes, submerged leaders and politics defining our age. 

The surprise packet in the film is Jagapathi Babu who reinvents himself as the salt-and-peppered hair villain with a million-buck beard and a baritone that haunts. It is not easy to flaunt an overnight body language for a villain when the opponent is a legend like Balayya. But with minimal dialogues and maximum eye-ball movement and subtle body language, Jagapathi hit a home run that will surely get him meaty roles. He has less than half page dialogue but registers his screen presence strongly against a verbose but imposing Balayya. 

There are weaknesses in the film, though. Story is the biggest letdown. Boyapati has picked two mighty stars in hero-antihero roles but hasn't concentrated on giving their confrontations the mileage it deserves. There is no variety, creativity or chutzpah to underscore the duel between the two. By choosing a story that just shows Jagapathi spitting venom all the time against Balayya's family and about four not-so-strong scenes of confrontation, director lost a golden opportunity. Even in Mahabharata, the story between two families had unprecedented twists but this one is just a tailfish story with grotesque violence upon grotesque violence. Boyapati concentrated on showing Jagapathi in one way throughout the film but it must be said that that may work wonders for his career because Jagapathi can save his new tricks for a pronounced career as a villain.

Incredulity is another weakness. So much anarchy happens in mainstream Vizag and the police is shown hand-in-gloves with wilful criminals vandalizing people and properties. Violence also grates. More people are routinely killed, shot dead or butchered in this film than all the people who died for the cause of Telangana. By showing a juvenile Balakrishna (son of Balakrishna?) who kills thirty people in 12 seconds, Boyapati Seenu had shown children can get glorified in their violence - a shameful feat that will remain unparalleled. No wonder, the film got A certificate. Films like this may even become blockbuster films but the atavaism they promote will come back to haunt our society more.

Music wise DSP gives a different twist to the tunes- they are catchy and peppy and a few songs stand out in melody and rhythms. Radhika Apte, the girl who acted in "Rakta Charitra" sizzles in the film better than Sonal Chauhan. Brahmanandam is actually a bore in the film, don't take him seriously. The one who steals her share of limelight is the lady who plays Balayya's grandmother - watch out for her as the new maternal mom, last seen in "English Vinglish". The scene where a set of MLAs discuss what the voter wants in today's democracy is the most telling commentary on the state of affairs - that is itself a paisa vasool sequence.  On the whole, a comprehensive masala film with an overdose of violence. It deserves 3 out of 5. But don't go near it if you hate violence.