‘Gamanam’ movie review: Director Sujana Rao’s anthology of stories, framed against Hyderabad floods, is earnest even if not completely absorbing

Keep in mind the road ‘Water, water, in every single place, not a drop to drink’ from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s ‘The Rime of the Historical Mariner’? When town will get battered throughout monsoon and low-lying colonies are inundated annually, the road assumes extra relevance. In a passing scene in debut writer-director Sujana Rao’s Telugu movie Gamanam, an aged woman in a slum questions why water channels are encroached upon and changed into excessive rises, permitting no room for rainwater to empty. Neither is it among the best scenes within the movie nor does the query come throughout as forceful, however the relevance is tough to overlook.

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Sujana Rao presents three tales that reduce throughout age teams and social segments in Hyderabad and exhibits what the deluge can imply to completely different individuals. Water is the ever-present extra character. At first, we see girls in a slum line up close to a tanker to get their each day quota of water. Elsewhere, a younger ragpicker probabilities upon a bottle of mineral water and treasures it. Later, the life-giving water threatens to eat a couple of characters, whereas it makes the others reassess their priorities and step out of their preconceived notions. Binding the tales deftly is Ilaiyaraaja’s background music, filling the scenes soulfully with pleasure, poignancy or indicating a looming risk, the best way solely he can. There are scenes the place subsequent to nothing is spoken; phrases change into redundant when the music does the deed.

Kamala (Shriya Saran) is a listening to impaired mom of an toddler in a slum, making an attempt to make ends meet whereas ready for her husband to return from Dubai. With an undercurrent of pathos, it’s a story that can be utilized to emotionally manipulate viewers to pity the girl. Nevertheless, the story progresses to point out how Kamala attracts on her innate power to battle for survival. Shriya enacts Kamala with conviction, revelling within the alternative to ship a shifting efficiency. The scene during which she reacts to the completely different sounds and later her baby’s giggles could make your eyes effectively up and go away you with a smile.

Working parallel to that is the story of younger love and aspirations. Ali (Shiva Kandukuri) is a cricketer who aspires to be in staff India. His humble household background, contrasted with that of his woman love Zara (Priyanka Jawalkar), might have been an everyday story of a poor boy and a wealthy lady. What makes this story fascinating is the added layer of the beliefs his grandparents reside by and in flip, anticipate him to comply with. Charu Hasan performs the grandfather with heat and assertiveness. There’s a scene of him cooking for his grandson and nudging his spouse to avoid the kitchen. The movie shines in moments corresponding to these. The scene of battle between Zara’s father (Sanjay Swaroop) and Ali’s household might have been been dealt with higher. Its clumsy starting is salvaged to an extent by Charu Hasan’s efficiency.

The third story is of two road youngsters who’re rag pickers; anonymous individuals within the burgeoning metropolis. Once more, this might have been a soppy, tearjerker story however is narrated with heat. There are sufficient scenes to painting their innate helplessness, contrasted with youngsters who develop up in sheltered households. The story outlines how these boys, fairly than wallow in self pity, attempt to make issues work. The casting works to the movie’s benefit, with the kid actors handing over efficient portrayals.

Shiva Kandukuri and Priyanka Jawalkar additionally make their presence felt with earnestness. Nithya Menen seems in a cameo at an important juncture. One of many large disappointments, nonetheless, is how a terrific actor like Suhas is wasted in a buddy’s function. After Color Photograph and Household Drama, it appears like against the law to waste him.

When the deluge occurs, the characters are pushed to the brink and compelled to punch effectively past their weight. The tales do get predictable and emotional. The cues planted effectively forward are a sign of issues to come back. The clay Ganeshas within the case of the road youngsters and early on, Ali stating that he will likely be written about within the newspapers, for example. Smarter writing might have sidestepped the predictability.

Gamanam doesn’t reside as much as its potential of being an absorbing survival drama. However regardless of the tough edges and predictable pitfalls, it holds its personal and narrates tales with conviction, and marks the arrival of one more new director who’s unafraid to go towards mainstream Telugu movie tropes.