Kotha Bangaru Lokam - Review

Most of the debutant directors choose love subjects as they strongly feel that they can handle the story easily. However, it is not that easy to portray love subjects. Srikanth Addala has also chosen a teenage love story as his subject. It is quite a delicate subject and any small mistake in dealing with the story would result in causing huge loss to the producer, especially for a person like Dil Raju. It is not just a monetary loss but it would be the prestige and reputation. Surprisingly, the director has done a balanced job and has made it a memorable love story along the lines of Maro Charitra. Of course, he has given a good twist in the climax which is beyond the imagination of the audiences.

Balu (Varun Sandesh) is the only son of his parents (Prakash Raj and Jayasudha). Incidentally, Balu's parents had a love marriage. Balu's father never treated him as his son but like a friend. He gave him complete freedom in all respects. After completion of his SSC, Balu got admission in a junior college and stays in the hostel. Swapna (Swetha) is the daughter of a landlord (Ahuti Prasad). Like many teenage boys and girls, they too get attracted to each other. However, they cannot decide whether theirs is an attraction or love. When there are holidays, both Swapna and Balu decide to note down as to how many times they remembered each other and to their surprise they realise that each of them times they remember one another. They finally confirm that they are in love. Once, the girls go on an outing from hostel and Balu jumps the boundary wall and join Swapna. Incidentally, some person clicks their photograph and get it published in the newspaper. The principal sends away Balu and directs him to bring his father to obtain hall ticket for the exam. Swapna's father who sees the photographs takes away his daughter. Now the struggle between the souls start. Balu makes several efforts to find out Swapna's address but cannot trace it. However, Swapna gets the address of Balu and writes down a letter to him. Somehow, both of them again meet during the exam time. Pulling courage, Balu meets Swapna's father and boldly explains his love towards Swapna. Later, Swapna's father decides to marry her to someone. Noticing the change in Balu, his mother tries to find out the problem but fails to know anything. Accidentally, Balu's friend Raga Sudha (Sushma) reveals his love story to Balu's father. At that time Swapna decides to elope with Balu. However, the latter could not meet her as Balu's father died in an accident. His father's death makes Balu make a commitment that he would groom himself the way his father had dreamt of. He completes his engineering course. When he is about to take his degree, Swapna's father accidentally meets Balu in a railway station. Then Balu realises that Swapna is not with either of them. In the climax, Balu's mother reveals that she had kept Swapna in their lecturer's custody and had made her to complete her engineering too. The film ends on a happy note with the union of Balu and Swapna.

PLUS:

The director needs compliments for extracting the talents in the artistes. His excellent screenplay, memorable taking, directorial abilities could be seen in each frame of the film. It is definitely a director's film and the artistes, the hero being an upcoming artiste, the heroine a debutant, are moulded well. The entire film revolves around these two characters. They are fantastically supported by Ahuti Prasad's character. Once again Prakashraj has played a memorable character in the role of a father. It is like a role model for all the teenage children. Jayasudha, known for her natural acting talents, has done justice to her role. Brahmanandam's comedy brings instant relief at times like comic tonic. Music by Mickey J. Meyer is melodious and the tunes are quite novel. There is no need for a special mention when the camera is handled by a senior cinematographer like Chota K Naidu. He has captured not only the feelings of the artistes but also portrayed the natural beauty of Konaseema with his camera. Editing by Marthand K Venkatesh has proved his seniority with not a scene left as unnecessary.

MINUS:

Though the director has brought out the love story in an excellent manner, he might have forgotten that the boys and girls hostels will generally be separate and there won't be a chance for their union. At the same time though the character of Rao Ramesh helps in the nice movement of the story, he gives a wrong picture that lecturers encourage love between teenagers. Of course, there might be some such instances where the lecturers encourage the talented students in all respects. The director has appeared to have lost grip on the subject after the interval with some long scenes, they are unavoidable as to show how the lovers feel the separation. But for few lapses here and there, the minus points in the film are minimal.

REMARKS:

Instead of going to foreign locales, the director has penned a story which has enabled the producer to show the greenery and the beauty of Konaseema and the village atmosphere. Really the first song in the film take the audiences to their childhood, especially those who move around in those localities like Rajahmundry, Kasimkota and other Konaseema areas. The film would remain memorable for Varun Sandesh in his career. Though there were gossips that some XYZ was planning to remake Maro Charitra with the same hero, there is no need for such film now as Kotha Bangaru Lokam has given the same feel to the audiences.

Cast: Varun Sandesh, Swetha Basu Prasad, Brahmanandam, Ahuti Prasad, Rao Ramesh Rao, Vinay Prasad, Praveen, Chinnikrishna, Gauthamraju, Phani, Rajita, Sushma and others
Credits: Cinematography: Chota K Naidu Music: Mickey J Meyer Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh Lyrics: Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry, Anant Sriram, Srikanth Addala Art: Prakash Presents: Anitha Producer: Dil Raju Story, dialogues, screenplay and direction: Srikanth Addala. Banner: Sri Venkateswara Creations

Released on: October 9, 2008