There have been very few Telugu
films that deal with the topic of
naxalism. While most of them
work with lots of loud dialogue
and emotions, actor Srikanth’s
first home production Virodhi
(meaning Enemy) lays its
foundation on subtlety. With
National Award winning
screenplay writer Neelakanta
directing it, there is lot more
seriousness associated with it.
Unfortunately, the enemy for this
Virodhi lies within.
What’s
it about : Jaidev (Srikanth) is a
journalist whose articles have
become bothersome for
politician Jangayya (Ahuti
Prasad). Obviously the politician
tries to woo the journalist who is
a touch too idealistic. It is during
their conversation that a group
of maoists, lead by Gogi (Ajay),
attack and kill the politician. They
take Jaidev as a protection and
cross the city along with him.
Heightened security measures
from the police, especially after
the killing of a politician, mean
that Gogi and his group will have
to walk most of their way back
home to Nallamala forests. It is
during their way back that
Jaidev, though afraid for his own
life, discovers the story of each of
the group members which
includes Hari (Kamal Kamaraju),
Ramakrishna (Ravi Varma),
Mallaiah (Sivaji Raja), Gogi’s wife
Rehana etc. Jaidev’s consistently
sensible questions begin to
bother the mindsets of the group
– eventuallybreaking it. This only
makes Gogi even more adamant
on killing the journo, but he
needs the support of few other
team members, especially from
Hari, the idealist and the
recruiter. Will Jaidev be able to
survive through the hardships of
living in jungles and almost one
person’s jungle-raaj?
What is Good : It is not often
that one sees scope for honest
performances for all actors in
one film, but Virodhi is a theme
that needed good actors.
Srikanth leads the acting
department, and for his stature,
underplays most of the scenes.
Infact the first half completely
belongs to Ajay, who uses his
heavy built body and large eyes
to the maximum extent. Kamal
Kamaraju is impressive, and Sivaji
Raja is at complete ease. The
other artists too perform well.
Neelakanta’s screenplay is the
heart of the film, as he succeeds,
in his own way, in showing that
any naxal team, is like any other
team in the outside world with
different people and different
mindsets. While the likes of Ravi
Verma and others refer to the
society looking for its ideals,
Kamal Kamaraju stands metaphor
forthe ultimate ideal, which is
bothered by Ajay, who inspite of
being an aggressive leader, is
just a power thirst egoist - and
hence the enemy within.
However, it is Neelakanta’s
direction that doesn’t necessarily
work for the movie.
What is bad: Virodhi’s basic
theme of a kidnapped
protagonist affecting the minds
of his kidnappers is reminiscent
of Roja. But that concept too is a
bit too stretched as the hero
seems to probe and successfully
change almost everyone in a
group of adamant naxalites, all in
just four days! Also it is because
of Roja that Neelakanta couldn’t
explore more on kidnapped
journalist’s wife, played by
Kamalinee Mukherjee! She is just
wasted. Even the stories of few
people who join the ‘movement’
are clichéd. Slow screenplay must
have been necessary for the film,
but the audience’s patience will
be tested. Even the drama that
comes towards the end is too
late.
Technical Departments : Even
with long boring scenes,
Neelakanta’s dialogue is sensible.
However, if his ‘honest at heart’
concept doesn’t impress on
screen, it is only because he
somehow loses control on
maintaining the intensity.
Ramachandra’s cinematography
in the second half is note worthy,
and Patnaik score towards the
climax is appreciable. Srikanth
should be appreciated for willing
to take the risk of making a film
that doesn’t promise big
commercial returns. But,
somewhere he will realize that
Neelakanta had the chance to
make it better.
Bottomline : Virodhi is an honest
attempt, but watch it only if you
are interested in serious cinema.
Friday, July 1, 2011
**Virodhi movie review read it here:
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