Dasara

You can’t blame regular movie viewers to be slightly skeptical before stepping in for Dasara. As the the case goes with many creators simply trying to imitate what works in the commercial market, one feared that Dasara is going to be a drop in the ocean of mass commercial pan indian cinema that is rooted and stylised but formulaic. I went in with reservations and my deep respect and love for an artist like Nani and I am so glad that I can not only vehemently deny and refute its comparisons with Pushpa but term this venture as more than just any other pan indian film. The story behind this project coming together itself is so fascinating, Nani putting his bets on a first time director Srikanth Odela whom has assisted Sukumar in previous ventures. One from the interviews saw Nani saying that ‘Srikanth Odela is the next big thing’ and one tries to decipher what exactly he saw in him so that such a massive project can be mounted. And I think what became clear was that Srikanth is essentially telling the story of the people he has seen around him and when a director is speaking his truth, rather than simply imitating a formula, its bound to resonate beyond state borders. The film Dasara focusses on the trio of Dharani, Suri and Venella played by Nani, Deekshith Shetty and Keerthy Suresh respectively who grow up together in the village of Veerlapally. Set in the 90s and shedding light on the consecutive political changes having a direct impact on the population, the events that transpire, with themes of class politics and inequalities being explored, transitions to become a revenge saga! I’m going to keep it as vague as possible because the movie and its makers have really kept the plot under wraps and skilfully so with all its teasers and trailers dropping and before I get into the movie I also have to tell you that a lot of my content beyond Youtube and my Instagram stories are also being published on the Nokio app. A community where you can see my reviews in written form and on video where we can build a community recommending each other films across languages. Users can watch my reviews on Nokio itself and share it with their friends too so do check it out, I’ll put the link of the app and profile in the description box below. My skepticism turned into abandon immediately as I stepped inside a packed theatre and the crowd hooted and cheered for the opening credits where the makers gave an homage to the legends of Telugu cinema. But I got slightly worried as the opening sequence of Dharani and his friends smuggling coal from a running train presented some mediocre special effects as Nani performed some physics defying stunts. I feared the template, I feared this going the route of what one expects from pan indian films right now vs offering something unique. But I clearly was wrong as the world building done by Srikanth of the dynamics within Veerlapally is something to marvel at. The population of men numb themselves with alcohol and tobacco as they immerse themselves in the coal mines, there is a constant cloud of dust in every frame, mostly unkempt and rough in the exterior, the population bathes in their hardship and grief and little is known about their internal strife, all tread along as this is the life that is handed over to them. Alcohol plays a key component in the political changes and power dynamics and this is beautifully represented through the opening song by Santosh Narayanan as prohibition is in full effect and wives smile in merry and the men seek for that last drop of alcohol in the waste bins. I have mixed feelings however of the songs and its integration into the screenplay. This is not to discount the quality of Santosh Narayanan as he stays true to the sounds and music of the region but it in some cases takes away from the otherwise engaging development of events. Dhoom Dhaam Dhosthaan as the introductory celebratory dance is mediocre both from a choreography and visual stand point. I feel like it almost becomes mandatory for creators to have that opening dance sequence just for the commercial pallet. Even though Ori Vaari is shot beautifully and it captures the longing of Dharani for Venella and Chamkeela Angeelesi is another celebratory dance, I still feel the absence of some of the songs would have actually led to a crisper and more tight edit for Dasara. The essential soul of the film is the lead trio and I felt like the time that was spent by the movie in sequences of merry and celebration could have been actually dedicated to the personalities of the trio and what they have glued together for so long and have a strong affinity for one another. There is this unbreakable bond that Dharani has for Suri but other than boundless love, its context or depth is never explored. I feel like a deeper dive into the affinity one has for another friend would have emotionally cut deep for viewers even more as the plot thickens and one gets more immersed in the individual journey of Dharani. Ever since the trailer of Dasara dropped, I have marvelled the posters of this film, each one having a distinct quality and style especially at a time where barely anyone is putting thought into movie posters. Which brings me to the cinematography of Dasara which is meant to be experienced on the big screen. The monochromatic sepia tone is essentially an insight into the lifestyle of the people of the film, immersed in dirt and filth and one extracts happiness even in that misery, captured exceptionally well by Sathyan Sooryan, especially leaving my jaw to drop at the exceptionally shot climax! Without giving anything away, one of the things that I feared the most about this film and this genre has a history of the same is where most women are just playing the role of love interests or individuals to ogle at is if they are devoid of any agency or thought. The initial portions with Keerthy Suresh made me fear that, especially as one’s arm gets twists and teased and I can’t really get into the specifics of what is explored eventually as it would be a spoiler but it was refreshing to see a character express her opinion in the matter where one assumes consent vs actually listening to her point of view. This is expressed through two distinct conversations that make you love the fact that creators evolving and understanding the problems many films have propagated over the years. When one thinks about the mass moments in this film that developed the craziest hooting and cheering, you really have to witness the cricket match and the swagger that Nani brings. Lighting up a beedhi or doing pushups post a boundary, in context to the stakes in the matter, it becomes an absolute laugh riot. The attention to detail by the creators regarding caste politics is even more refreshing in the Telugu commercial space as the cricket match is against the upper and lower caste and brahmins are the umpires, the case of where people belong and where they can enter becomes a point of contention in several moments and this is where it is fair to create parallels with Rangasthalam and Karnan regarding not only class but caste politics dictating the choices the characters make. I would not say its a clear imitation of the themes explored but one can definitely see the inspiration of Srikanth and his storytelling. I fell in love with the performances of this film. Deekshith Shetty, though I hoped they explored the personality of Suri more than they did is formidable as a determined youth fighting for change. His pride being broken looking at the discrimination causes for a prominent shift in political power. Keerthy Suresh is an absolute fire cracker, she’s impulsive, emotional and fearless, seeing her dance in absolute abandon was a beautiful sight. Shine Tom Chacko absolutely kills it as the unhinged antagonist and I dont think anyone had a doubt about it. I feared him being wasted in another venture outside of Malayalam Cinema but he works so well as the force to be reckon with! The popular opinion is that one fell in love with the first half and found the second half to be decent but the reality for me is that I was invested the moment the interval block took place! I was in disbelief, absolutely heartbroken and full invested in the rage that consumed Dharani. The imagery is sprinkled throughout the film, whether it be the names of the three characters, the parallels with Ramayana, the perseverance of good over evil at Dusshera, it all culminates beautifully as one explores the latter half of the film and one needs a vessel like Nani who fully immerses himself in the role, his character arc being the guiding light of this film, transitioning from a naive emotional recluse to a man consumed by vengeance! The build up of the filthy nature of the antagonist vs the wrongdoing Dharani has endured will invest everyone! I wished for a little less physics defying stunts, a little more groundedness in the climax action set piece, making me think that a more complex choreography of the final set piece would have been the icing on the cake as Dharani essentially becomes a superhero by the end of it that slightly took me away from the chain of events! I definitely have to conclude that Dasara is not like any other generic pan indian film, it explores themes of cast and class politics while transforming to a revenge saga that one will definitely enjoy on the big screen. I really do commend Nani, his performance and his faith on Srikanth to pull off this spectacle!