‘Kanam’ (‘Oke Oka Jeevitham’) review: A lovely time-travel film with emotional beats working wonders

Even earlier than the beginning of cinema, artists and storytellers have at all times seen humankind’s infinite fascination with time as an awesome narrative device. The human situation exists because of the inflexible linearity of time, and time-travel titles from latest years like Darkish, Indru Netru Naalai, Russian Doll and Tenet proceed to show that it is a sub-genre that may supply a plethora of potentialities to a storyteller. Debutant director Shree Karthick’s Kanam ( Oke Oka Jeevitham in Telugu) is one such try that refrains from utilizing time journey as a mere gimmick. The play with time is meant to drive ahead a much bigger level right here: the inevitability of destiny.

Three pals, Aadhi (Sharwanand), Pandi (Ramesh Tilak), and Kadhir (Sathish) get a second probability at life after an opportunity encounter with a reclusive scientist Paul (Nasser), who affords to ship them again 20 years in time in return for a favour. It is a no-brainer determination for Aadhi, a person who struggles to maneuver on from the demise of his mom (Amala Akkineni). Aadhi desires to return in time and save his mom from her premature demise. Although the movie treats the causes of Pandi and Kadhir in a light-hearted method, it by no means patronises their struggles; Pandi desires his youthful self to focus extra on training in order to not find yourself as an actual property dealer, whereas Kadhir needs to return and woo his classmate. To them, these quests are as life-changing as Aadhi’s.

All through the movie, you would possibly consider some unconvincing reasonings and logical fallacies. Why did not Paul try this mission in 20 lengthy years? Why did not he inform them concerning the repercussions of time journey? Or, how did a sure character escape from a sure place? The screenplay too, a simple one with little or no subversion, has its share of cliched sequences. Nevertheless, Kanam is a movie which makes you all of the extra forgiving of those flaws. There’s additionally an try proper from the start — a acutely aware one, I assume — to inform us that this is not a movie to look out for all these issues. Kanam lends you a heat comforter, permits you to experience a few of its well-written heartwarming moments, and proceeds to inform a tear-jerker of a narrative a couple of mom and a son. The movie banks on its emotional beats, and it really works superbly.

An emotionally-driven story as such is not solely new to us and like many others, the melodrama would possibly come throughout as a tad an excessive amount of in some circumstances. Nevertheless, for the main components of the movie, the background music and performing elevate the writing and, as soon as once more, you’re so enchanted by all of it that you find yourself forgiving the minor flaws. Additionally, no one is aware of how somebody will react after they see their late mom after 20 years, or the emotional heft of going again to 1’s college days and assembly their previous selves. Moments like when Aadhi as soon as once more will get to relish the style of his mom’s cooking are… magical to say the least.

After taking part in a cheerful function in Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu, we see Sharwanand play a sombre man with deep-seated grief. Apparently, once we first meet Aadhi, we do not see a hero with a grand introduction sequence; he’s a dispirited man with no drive in life, nursing a hangover and darkish circles after an evening of heavy ingesting. Even throughout moments of elation, his expressions are measured.

In every other movie, watching an actor bear the identical sullen expression for many components could not do it a lot good, and Aadhi would possibly even come throughout whilst unrealistic or exaggerated to some. However grief acts by itself time and does unimaginable issues to the thoughts — particularly at a young age — and the movie conveys this convincingly. Kanam wants a protagonist like Aadhi and an actor like Sharwanand to play him.

Equally, Amala is terrific in what’s her comeback movie, one that may be likened in some methods to her earlier Telugu look, Manam. The soul of Kanam is the bond between a mom and a son, and the scenes that includes each Amala and Sharwanand are pretty or heart-wrenching.

Take, as an example, the scene through which the mom speaks of the primary time she heard her son sing. There aren’t any gimmicky, dramatic pictures, in a acutely aware determination to retain all the main focus solely on the feelings that the frames, dialogues, and performances evoke. Although Ritu Varma, who performs Aadhi’s girlfriend Vaishnavi, would not get a lot display screen time, her character proves very important on reflection. Kudos to the Ninnila Ninnila actor for selecting to be part of such endearing dramas.

Kanam is a pleasant debut for Shree Karthick. Not solely has he created a compelling movie, however he additionally managed to offer sufficient fan service to his favorite star Rajinikanth (it’s charming how these moments too grow to be part of the narrative). Above all else, it’s the loveliest of tributes to his late mom.

Kanam/ Oke Oka Jeevitham is at present working in theatres