Film: Minugurulu
Rating: 3/5
Banner: Respect Creations
Cast: Ashish Vidyarthi, Suhasini, Raghuveer Yadav, Jayavani, Deepak Saroj and others
Music: Rajasekhar Sarma
Cinematographer: David Puller
Editor: Ganti Kiran
Director: Ayodhya Kumar Krishnamsetty
Producer: Ayodhya Kumar Krishnamsetty
Release date: 24/01/2014
A new wave of filmmakers with radical thoughts is pushing their way into a commercial Tollywood. Here is one such attempt so let us see if it is really worth or not.
Story
A residential school for the blind near Vizag is in a dilapidated condition and the reason for that is the caretaker (Ashish) who spends the government funds in betting and loses it. Then a new resident Raju (Deepak) comes, after losing his vision due to an accident. He intimates the authorities about the situation but in vain. Then he comes up with a plan along with the other blind kids to deal with this issue. What does he do and where it leads forms the rest.
Performances
Ashish Vidyarthi was there throughout the film and given his experience, this role was a cakewalk for him. He did his bit and scored well.
Deepak Saroj was confident enough and he was able to justify the character. Though he got stiff in few scenes, overall he did a good job.
Suhasini played a guest role but made her presence felt, Raghuveer Yadav was excellent, Jayavani was effective. The other students gave a natural act and were engaging.
Highlights
- Concept
- Emotion
- Realism
Drawbacks
- Pace
- Offbeat flavor
Analysis
From a long time, there are those who criticize Tollywood to be an industry which is totally commercial and focuses only on glamour and masala potboilers.
It is true to an extent but it doesn’t mean there are not filmmakers who don’t believe in passion for the craft and coming up with offbeat storylines that add value to the society and spread a message through this medium.
Perhaps this film can be counted as one such effort which will prove those perceptions to be wrong. Despite the fact that most of the team including the cast are amateurs, the basic intent of the film is commendable. It is never an easy task to delve into the world of a person who is blind and see the world from his/her eyes.
The efforts put in that angle are really praiseworthy. As such, this does give the feel of a Docu-drama but given the subject and the purpose behind it, the director showed sensibility in adding subtle humor and emotion in his own way.
Entire film runs on straight narration instilling realistic scenes those some look gross.
The second half gets into a serious mode with many emotionally heart squeezing moments. Climax was absorbing.
This cannot be counted as a mainstream flick but it would create enough impact to those who seek realistic cinema and to those who say Tollywood doesn’t have offbeat filmmakers with value added ideas and storylines.
Bottomline: Insightful, worth a watch
(Venkat can be reached at [email protected] or https://twitter.com/greatandhranews)
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