Veera Telangana - Review

Artiste, writer, director and producer R Narayana Murthy is known for bringing out revolutionary films highlighting the travails of the poor and downtrodden. Keeping in view, the separate Telangana agitation, he planned to bring out a film on the armed struggle of the farmers during the Nizam rule and penned a decent story with the help of the historians of the Telangana. Several revolutionary writers and Praja Kavulu helped him to bring out a decent movie on this front. However, the film is like a documentary with Telangana region"s most popular songs in certain intervals. Read on for Veera Telangana review.

Story:
Yadagiri (R Narayana Murthy) is a working under local landlord (Vijayaranga Raju). That landlord used to harass the people of the village and treat every village as a bonded labour to him. He usurps the properties of the people and amasses huge wealth and commands the entire village. Even he doesn"t allow the children to go to school and become literate and makes them to work in his backyard. At this juncture, Andhra Maha Sabha emerges from the Communist Party of India and the leaders gives a call to the people to revolt against the landlord and also against the Nizam.

The CPI leaders exhort the people that they need not pay any tax on their land and take away the yield to their homes instead of sending them to the landlord"s house. This irks the landlord who complains to the Nizam Nawab that the people are revolting against the government and is avoiding payment of tax. So the Nizam Nawab tells his military commander to crush the movement. The military commander, who was a Muslim, starts killing people mercilessly and in addition to the government military, he prepares a group of private army called Razakars and incites them to kill people, who talk against the Islam religion and the Nizam Nawab.

Once a youth takes part in a procession called by Andhra Maha Sabha and succumbs to a bullet injury from the landlord"s sister. Landlord orders that nobody should touch the dead body and no one should help in cremating him. But Yadagiri, who was going by that way helps the woman to shift the body for funeral. This irks the landlord and punishes Yadagiri. Not only that, he tries to thrash Yadagiri"s mother, which forces Yadagiri to revolt against the landlord and join the Andhra Maha Sabha and takes up a rifle for an armed struggle. How the Nizam"s military commander ruthlessly killed people and how the Andhra Maha Sabha"s army reacted to the acts? How they took revenge against the killing of their leaders? Answers to all these question form part of the climax.

PERFORMANCE:
R Narayana Murthy is in his usual style and has given a terrific performance. All the other artistes have done justice to their roles and Vijayaranga Raju has perfectly suited to the character of the landlord. In fact, the director chose local artistes for the purpose and shot the entire film in Telangana region, especially near Bhongir and others areas.

TECHNICAL:
As the film is intended to highlight the Telangana armed struggle, the script was penned in such a way like a series of events. The script writer did not ignore any leader who took part in the armed struggle. Several artiste played the roles of Doddi Komaraiah, Chakali Neelamma, Gottimukkala Gopala Reddy, Renigunta Ramireddy, Sheik Bandagi, Bhanunaik, Chadra Rajeswara Rao, Arutla Ramachandra Reddy, Bhimreddy Narasimha Reddy, Narra Narasimhulu, Suddala Hanumantu, Arutla Kamala, Mallu Swarajyam, Ravi Narayana Reddy, Maqdoom Moinuddin, Baddam Yella Reddy, Puchalapalli Sundaraiah and several others.

MUSIC:
It is the lyrics and songs which are the highlights of the film. The director literally used the Telangana dialect in composing the songs and almost all the singers including Vemulawada Buggaiah, Suddala Ashok Teja, Mano, Warangal Srinivas, Suseela, Sri Mallesh, Thorruru Rama Narasaiah, Vijay Yesudas, Suddala Bharati and others gave their voice to the popular Telangana regional songs like Jai Telangana, Palletoori Pillagada, Naageti Salallo, Saara Saaramma Saara, Hassoy Dula Harathi, Ja Jai Bholo Telangana, Bandenka Bandi Katti, Poru Sagutundi, Vey Vey Thalli Telangana (Oggu Katha), in subtle way. Though the number of songs was comparatively high, the it gives good relief to the audiences and inspires the people of Telangana who are craving for a separate state.

REMARKS:
At a time, when the people of Telangana are fighting for a separate state and the by-elections to the assembly seats of the Telangana region are around the corner, the film would leave a good impression in the minds and hearts of the people of the Telangana region. Hence, the film could have a nice commercial success especially in Nizam area. At the same time, the film gives a scope for the people of the other regions who exactly don"t know what is the Telangana Armed Struggle during the Nizam"s rule. A good effort by a seasoned director to highlight the right point at a right time.

Cast: R Narayana Murthy, Vijayaranga Raju, Purabhan Ahmad, Krishneswara Rao, Amarendra, Vedavyas, Nataraj, Chakrapani and others

Credits: Dialogues – Krishneswara Rao, Lyrics – Guda Anjaiah, Suddala Hanumantu, Nandini Siddha Reddy, Thorruru Rama Narasaiah, Kodari Srinivas, Yashpal, Yadagiri, Yepuri Somanna and Nernala Kishore, Singers – Vemulawada Buggaiah, Suddala Ashok Teja, Mano, Warangal Srinivas, Suseela, Sri Mallesh, Thorruru Rama Narasaiah, Vijay Yesudas, Suddala Bharati and others, Music – R Narayana Murthy, Producer – Vijayaranga Raju, R Narayana Murthy

Banner: Sneha Chitra Pictures