Well how do I start? I am a north Indian with absolutely no idea about Telegu language. Though I have seen a lot of Telegu movies but they were all dubbed in Hindi. I was pretty aware of Nagarjun and Anushka Shetty. But never in my life had I gone specially to a theatre to watch a Telegu movie.
But the reason I still went to see it in PVR was for Saurabh Raj Jain, the shy and humble television actor who roped in to stardom due to his role of Lord Krishna in Mahabharat. I am huge fan of him and I duely wsh him all the prosperity of the world. As I saw him in the teaser of the film, my heart was prepared to spell money on the film.
But a devotional a film is not much my type, nor is musical. This movie is both, and that too in Sanskritic Telegu! Thankfully, the music was soulful. It didn't bore me with jarring 20th century mixes or honey sing raps (which are TORTURE). Top that, I didn't know the language, hence the lyrics didn't bire me either. The subtitles were simple and overall I was drawn to a very different ecstatic divine world where everything is joyful.
The character of Hathiram Babaji is a bliss. It is simply enigmatic and it touches your heart. No one could have pulled off the character as good as Nagarjuna. He shined brilliantly, like a true devotee. His looks, his grace, and his devotion to the Lord Balaji was in simple words: Spellbinding.
Krishnamma played by Anushka Sharma was a rather small character whose only job was to "support". She cant be called the lead here. But the time frame she stays there, she makes the most of it.
Now coming to the main guy around whom the movie revolves, Lord Venkateshwara, was the highlight. Saurabh has a serene look on his face. A kind of innocence and piousness which all together looks divine. With the make-up and everything he looks so enigmatic that if I had to imagine God, I would rather imagine his face! He didn't know the language and his voice was dubbed. Yet his expressions were exactly how they should be.
I loved the sequence when the sthala purana of Venkateshwara was recreated. Saurabh gleamed (as always) as Lord Balaji. And I must say he did an equally brilliant job as our star Nagarjuna.
The cinematography was the real protagonist of the film. It is a cinematic treat, with the canvas painted with green mountains and waterfalls, dark clouds, thousands of oil lamps, colourful silks, gold, and raw divinity. The VFX was also commendable. The director seriously portrayed every bit of his imagination.
The only turnoff was the masala content: Two romantic songs which were plainly dream sequences. They were not required at all. And the loud comedy, which is too old for this new generation.
I agree that a devotinal film is not targeted to the young audience. But yet, the younger generation is not so bad. We love discussing logical interpretation of scriptures. Hence this movie could have been better only if, instead of perky songs they would have accpunted for some really good thought provoking conversations between Hathiram and Balaji.
Overall its a great movie. Its a fresh breeze of lotus (coz lotus is the most divine flower) admist the ugly mound of commercial cinema garbage. Watch it, if you want some Godly feeling to soothe your inner wounds.
