Sri Ramarajyam (2011) Movie Review
Jeevi rating: 3.75/5
Punchline: classic story retold
Genre: Mythology
Type: Straight
Banner: Sri Sai Baba Movies
Punchline: classic story retold
Genre: Mythology
Type: Straight
Banner: Sri Sai Baba Movies
Cast: Bala Krishna Nandamuri, ANR, Nayanatara, Srikanth, Sameer, Balayya, Murali Mohan, Vinda Dhara Singh, Sudha, Sana, KR Vijaya, Siva Parvathy, Jhansi, Hema etc
Music: Ilayaraja
Cinematography: Raju
Editing: GG Krishna
Art: S Ravinder (Valmiki Set)
Dialogues: Ramana
Screenplay - direction: Bapu
Producer: Yalamanchali Sai Babu
Release date: 17 November 2011
Theater watched: screen 1, Prasads, Hyderabad
Cinematography: Raju
Editing: GG Krishna
Art: S Ravinder (Valmiki Set)
Dialogues: Ramana
Screenplay - direction: Bapu
Producer: Yalamanchali Sai Babu
Release date: 17 November 2011
Theater watched: screen 1, Prasads, Hyderabad
Story
Seeta becomes pregnant and she wants to deliver baby in Ayodhya itself. Just about when everything was happy in Ayodhya, Rama comes to know that the public are discussing about Seeta being kept hostage for an year in Lanka and gossiping about the possibilities over there. Deeply disturbed over these gossips, Rama sends Seeta away to forests. She goes to Valmiki Ashramam in forests and delivers twins - Kusha and Lava. The rest of the story is all about how Kusha, Lava and Seeta unite with Rama.
Seeta becomes pregnant and she wants to deliver baby in Ayodhya itself. Just about when everything was happy in Ayodhya, Rama comes to know that the public are discussing about Seeta being kept hostage for an year in Lanka and gossiping about the possibilities over there. Deeply disturbed over these gossips, Rama sends Seeta away to forests. She goes to Valmiki Ashramam in forests and delivers twins - Kusha and Lava. The rest of the story is all about how Kusha, Lava and Seeta unite with Rama.
Artists Performance
Bala Krishna Nandamuri: Bala Krishna deserves a huge applause for accepting this script. Bala Krishna is probably the one of very few actors in current Telugu film industry who can do justice to mythological roles. But the Rama role in this movie is about subtlety and emotions. It needs calmness and measured acting. Bala Krishna has done his role fabulously. Since is story is more about Seeta going to forests and the twins, there is ample footage for these three characters and Bala Krishna obliged it. Bala Krishna portrayed the inner turmoil Lord Rama went through very well. Bala Krishna has always been open for all kinds of scripts and roles. And this is the best film from Bala Krishna after Bhairava Dweepam in mythological genre.
Other actors: ANR is an asset to the film as Valmiki who helps Seeta and guides her in a critical time. Nayana Tara is perfect as Seeta. She portrayed it gracefully by bringing sanctity to it. She performed fabulously. Sunitha's dubbing helped the cause. The total movie is about the characters of Kusha and Lava. Both the kids who performed these two characters along with bala Hanuman. Srikanth has done the role of Lakshmana and this film will be a feather in his cap. He is superb. Sameer has portrayed Bharat and he is nice. Brahmanandam played a story-changing key role. Roja has done the role of Bhudevi (mother of Seeta). KR Vijaya, Balayya, Murali Mohan, Subbaraya Sharma, Sudha, Hema, Sana, Siva Parvathy Jhansi etc did very well in other important roles.
Technical departments
Story - screenplay - direction: The story of the film is based on the classic ‘Lavakusha’. Director Bapu who has done many social films with stories adapted from Ramayana made sure that he got everything right in this movie. Screenplay of the film is very good. The way kids meet their father without knowing that he is their father is a powerful screenplay technique. Bapu has extracted the right kind of performances all the actors. There is a nice humor in the characterizations of Lava, Kusha and bala hanuman. It is very difficult to direct a mythological film of 2 hours 45 minutes duration and Bapu has made sure that the emotions worked. You will sympathize with the characters of LavaKusha and with the ordeal Seeta and Rama going through.
Other departments: Music by Ilayaraja is excellent. I loved all the songs even before release. All these songs are exceptionally mounted on the screen. Background music is soothing and appropriate. Dialogues by Ramana are good and plain so that the present generation can understand it without any difficulty. Cinematography by Raju is another asset. Four units (EFX, Pixelloid, Makuta and Orange Media) have worked on the visual effects and they have done a fabulous work. Art direction is excellent. Ravinder has come up with a nice set for Valmiki Ashramam. Costumes and make-up are natural. Editing is fine. One person who should get 100% credit for this movie is Yalamanchali Sai Babu. It is a highly risky proposition to make a film like Sri Ramarajyam. Sai Babu has blindly trusted his team and spent a lot of money come up with a high quality product.
Analysis: First half is good. Second half is emotional. The film really picks up in terms of emotions from the scene where Seeta is left in forest. Bala Krishna and producer Sai Babu should get the huge credit for the risk they have taken. In an era, where the success of a film is measured by punch dialogues, dances, fights and bramhanandam’s comedy, Sri Ramarajyam is a refreshing and a brave film that tells the story as a story. After watching this movie - two people will get enormous respect - Bala Krishna and producer Sai Babu. This film has got music, visuals, emotions and performances in the right proportions. Bapu comes up with an interesting and sensible film in the form of Sri Ramarajyam. Go and watch it!
