Virata Parvam - Complicated and Tedious

Rating: 2.5/5

Banner: Suresh Productions, Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas.

Cast: Daggubati Rana, Sai Pallavi,Eeshwari Rao, Priyamani,Naveen Chandra,Nandita Das,Zarina Wahab,Sai Chand,Bannerjee,Rahul Ramakrishna

Music: Suresh Bobbili

Cinematography: Dani Sanchez-Lopez and Diwakar Mani

Editor: A Sreekar Prasad

Producers: Sudhakar Cherukuri, Suresh Babu

Written and Directed by: Venu Udugula

Story:

Virata Parvam is a period film that follows the story of Vennela (Sai Pallavi), A girl fond of books and poetry thanks to her father. She finds inspiration and love from one such book written by Ravanna (Rana Daggubati) – Pen Name: Aranya, A Naxal troop leader. She then goes on a journey to get closer and spend the rest of her life with him. Amidst the constant battle between Police and Naxals, does he accept her love and how their relationship grows forms the rest of the story.

Analysis:

First half of the film is a travel film surrounding a girl madly in search of her love. Also, plays like a Musical with stories told as songs. Second half feels like a different movie from the get-go. It becomes a tale of loyalty & betrayal within the Communist Party/Naxal space. This results in not caring for its central character as much as the film demands.

Technically speaking, it is flawless. Scenes shot exclusively by lantern lights look pleasing to the eye. Locations feel authentic akin to the period setting. The background score is adept.

 Performances:

There are no complaints performance-wise. Sai Pallavi is brilliant as Vennela. Her character is a genuine soul who is on a mission, and knows right from wrong and Pallavi is well suited for it. Rana Daggubati is convincing as a Naxal leader. His screen presence is a plus. Priyamani and Naveen Chandra understood their assignments. Easwari Rao, Sai Chand, and Rahul Ramakrishna don’t have much scope.

Others:

Dialogues are well written, and Direction is okay, but it is the script that needed some work, especially the last few pages. It goes sideways in questioning Police brutality and its political aspects of it.

What works for the movie:

Performances 

Technical Departments

What did not work for the movie:

Convoluted Script

Bland Romance

Lastly: Technically sound but lacks the core.