‘Sita Ramam’ movie review: A poignant love story with charming performances from Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur
Hanu Raghavapudi’s old-world romance saga brims with earnestness and is helped by charming performances from Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur
Hanu Raghavapudi’s old-world romance saga brims with earnestness and is helped by charming performances from Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur
It isn’t mistaken to like your nation, however you don’t must harbour such hatred for a neighbouring nation, a clever man tells a younger girl within the movie. In one other scene, when she is given just a few references, with all of the names pertaining to at least one faith, she asks in exasperation if there isn’t anybody from her neighborhood. Director Hanu Raghavapudi’s Sita Ramam is much more than only a love story. The story, screenplay and dialogues by Hanu, Raj Kumar Kandamudi and Jay Krishna trip on the concept that humanity issues greater than battle, boundaries and faith. The thought is ever related particularly in occasions when discussions of ‘them’ and ‘us’ threaten to take over the discourse throughout us.
Sita Ramam unravels the thriller surrounding its title characters, Sita Mahalakshmi (Mrunal Thakur’s debut in Telugu cinema) and Lt Ram (Dulquer Salmaan) by way of two timelines — 1964 and 1984. Afreen (Rashmika Mandanna), a Pakistan-origin pupil arrives in India from London, when she is tasked with tracing Sita handy over a 20-year-letter written to her by Ram. She takes the assistance of her school senior Balaji (Tharun Bhascker), who’s now in Hyderabad.
There’s the unmistakable Mahanatihangover in these two characters attempting to piece collectively a narrative from the previous, like Samantha and Vijay Deverakonda. Past this broad similarity, fortunately Sita Ramam is a completely new canvas. The invention in Mahanati begins from an area of ignorance and the reporter’s must discover a good story whereas right here, the journey proves to be transformative and makes a personality empathetic and shed preconceived notions of taking a look at folks by way of the lens of faith and nationality.
The Sixties are introduced like a dream. Posted on the borders of Kashmir on the snowy terrains is Lt Ram. His fellow troopers are his world; there’s a expensive buddy (performed by Shatru), a jealous officer (Sumanth as Brigadier Vishnu Sharma) and a commanding officer Main Selvan (Gautham Menon). An All India Radio journalist (Rohini Molleti) phrases Ram a lone ranger and requests listeners to write down to him. Letters pour in, Together with one from Sita who chides Ram for forgetting that he has a spouse again residence and that he isn’t an orphan.
We hear Sita (Chinmayi excelling at her dubbing sport) a lot earlier than we see her. Vishal Chandrashekhar’s music faucets into the retro temper for each the Indian classical prospers within the songs in addition to the western-influenced playful rating in just a few scenes.
Cinematographers P S Vinod and Shreyaas Krishna current the hostile, icy terrain in all its glory and eeriness. The breathtaking landscapes aside, they navigate the chilly interiors artistically. As an illustration, observe how the sunshine streams in by way of the patterned partitions when Main Selvan is addressing troopers earlier than a mission.
The trouble to make the romance seem poetic is obvious from the time Ram embarks on a journey to satisfy Sita; the technical crew and the actors pull all stops to current an enthralling, outdated world romance that may sweep somebody off their ft. At first look, Sita would possibly come throughout like a personality from a fancy dress drama of the previous, turned out in her finest always, with winged eyeliner as well. Because the story progresses and we all know her for who she is, the regal manner appears all of the extra applicable.
Costumes by Sheetal Sharma, manufacturing design by Sunil Babu, artwork path by Vaishnavi Reddy and Faisal Khan, contribute to defining each the Sixties and the 80s.
There’s Ram, Sita and a Hanuman (Vennela Kishore as Durjoy, a theatre actor). However the movie pulls a shock on the intermission level that adjustments the whole lot thereafter.
Sita Ramam
Solid: Dulquer Salmaan, Mrunal Thakur, Rashmika Mandanna, Tharun Bhascker, Sumanth
Course: Hanu Raghavapudi
Music: Vishal Chandrashekhar
Sure beats of the story and among the twists may be foreseen. Sometimes the narrative wavers or tries too arduous to make the story seem poetic. The ‘kurukshetra’-like state of affairs (sic) wherein Ram saves Sita, for example. However these are occasional niggles. The romance stays absorbing and may hold you invested.
The writing doesn’t use its feminine characters as props. In her first Telugu movie, Mrunal will get to play a personality that’s highly effective and but susceptible. She does it with loads of poise and conveys the emotional upheavals.
Sita Ramam is amongst Rashmika Mandanna’s higher movies. She isn’t introduced as an eye fixed sweet and given the scope to play a self-centred character with preconceived notions, she performs it sure-footedly and reveals that she is sport to tackle well-written components.
Ram is a personality that appears tailormade for Dulquer Salmaan and he channels all his attraction to painting it with grace and innocence. Tharun Bhascker is easy within the supportive half that speaks a definite Hyderabadi Telugu.
A number of others make their presence felt in short components — Sachin Khedekar, Sunil, Priyadarshi, Bhumika, Jisshu Sengupta, Prakash Raj, Praneeta Pattnaik, Rahul Ravindran… the record is lengthy. Sumanth is convincing as an officer displaying his imply streak.
Not the whole lot about Sita Ramam works to the extent of creating it a traditional love story the makers wished it to be. But, the earnestness with which they try and narrate a transferring story of romance holds all of it collectively. The important thing characters could also be known as Ram, Sita and Afreen. Change their names and faith however the essence of what the story conveys will nonetheless maintain true. Therein lies the fantastic thing about the story.
