Krish (Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi) makes movies set in a contemporary milieu. He weaves topical issues seamlessly into the plot and makes it riveting to watch. His earlier movies Gamyam and Vedam are testimony to that. Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum blends the dying art form of theatre called Surabhi and the topical issue of mining in Bellary. There’s enough drama in this action-adventure to keep one glued to the screen. Some filmmakers have one overriding theme running across their films. With Krish’s movies, the theme seems to be “accidental transformation.” of the protagonist i.e. Invariably the central characters in his movies end up rising above the self in the course of the film, a quest for nirvana, so to speak of. In his first film, Gamyam, the protagonist, Abhi Ram goes from being a rich brat to an enlightened soul over a bike ride across the state. Vedam is a similar tale of self-discovery of five underdogs, a rock star, prostitute, cable guy and a terrorist. In this film, a hero is a young man looking to break away from his roots in a search for a better life.
To a woman, bearing a child starts with the pleasure of conception and ends with the pain of labour. A man who empathises with the mother’s sacrifice is human, whereas he, who fails to look beyond the act of conception, is but a savage. A dialogue in the film, brings out this point in a poignant yet powerful fashion, through the words of a journalist Devika (Nayantara) who explains to B. Tech Babu (Rana) her reasons for being passionate about getting the truth out. This broad idea of good prevailing over evil is narrated through the age-old Surabhi theatre, a form that has few takers now. This, combined with a contemporary theme of mining works well. In times when the ‘aam aadmi’ is protesting loud against rampant corruption, a film like KVJ resonates.
The common approach before watching a film for any audience is to check who the hero and heroine are and then decide. But fortunately, Tollywood is blessed to have a few talented directors who have created a brand for themselves. Director Krish is one such man. When his film is arriving, more than the cast and crew it is the expectations on Krish and what he has to offer that pulls the crowds to the theatres because he brings sense and sensibility with a message to the audience along with a pinch of philosophy. The subject chosen for this film is contemporary and Krish has woven it with a good mix of stage drama and the reference to the various Avatars of Maha Vishnu was impressive.
However, there is always a fine line between visualizing a beautiful concept and making it look beautiful in the same way onscreen. And that’s the true test of character for any director. In this film, Krish has been fairly successful in driving his thoughts but in a cinematic format, he could not score to his calibre, especially while landing the film. The crux of his strength comes from the dialogues.
Doused in a pleasant mix of mythology, the film starts on an ambitious note. Expectations are set high in the beginning when you see a montage of activists, professors and tribals all venting out against Reddyappa, the mining don at Bellary. This is followed by a beautiful mythological drama enacted by Babu and his Surabhi troupe. Reminiscent of the bygone era of mythological films, it’s a pleasure to watch Rana and Kota Srinivasa Rao rendering verses in chaste Grandhikam.
Rana is wooden faced as usual but he has improved than the past. Efforts and hard work are seen. His physique is fabulous. If he can work on his diction and few expressions, he will rock. Nayantara is a visual delight. Watching her even in action sequences sends a tingle to the spine. She is an effective performer, authentic beauty with natural seductive charms. Wonder what is that fixation she has for the nose stud, it doesn’t suit her at all.
Milind Gunaji has got a good screen presence but then his character was not etched strongly. That power of a mining baron was missing in him. Kota was brief, Brahmanandam was not that great, Murali Sharma made his presence felt. Posani brought few smiles with his eccentricity. Raghu Babu, Hema, Sathyam Rajesh did their bit as required and contributed well. Sameera Reddy was a sizzler. Venky in his cameo is adequate.
Strong characters, apart from the leads, give great support to the film. L.B. Sriram as the crazed tribal who keeps screaming “Matti lekapote, dochukodaniki emi undadu kada. Teesesta, mottam matti teestesta (If there is no soil, there won’t be anything to loot, isn’t it. I will take it away, all of it away).” This scene works wonders as a measure of soil is thrown at the lens. This symbolism of soil is present throughout the film.
The writing is easily the best part of the movie. The dialogues are crisp, witty and poetic at the same time. The background score by Mani Sharma raises the emotional quotient of the film while giving it a surreal feel. There is plenty of high octane action episodes rolled in along with the mandatory dream song sequences as well.
Director Kirsh seems to have finally found a commercially viable template for his style of cinema. There is still plenty of scope for improvement though. It’s just that the emotional curve of the movie is strong enough to keep your attention away from the flaws of logic and issues of ideological integrity. However, it all adds up to makes for an interesting viewing in the end.
Visually, the film is evocative, but the hype gradually lessens. There is a strong message that laces the film. It evokes a sense of belonging to society, albeit on a personal narrative. That said, the film has its downs; three unnecessary ‘item’ songs that add neither coherence nor relevance to the story and take away from the impact. It’s disappointing because you expect a socio-economic narrative Shanghai but at times you’re heavily creamed by fluff and it is restricted to mere rhetoric. It’s engaging for sure, but there isn’t enough for the front rows to whistle about besides alone item number. On a whole, the attempt should be appreciated and patted.
