Amartya Smaran
Talking about what Venu Yeldandi’s Balagam has to offer to the audience, actor Priyadarshi Pulikonda uttered these words in one of his recent interviews, “In our humble positions, we can say that we will give you a refreshing experience like never before!” Having watched the film, we can confidently say that they have delivered it this time.
The sudden demise of Sailu’s (played by Priyadarshi) grandfather Komuraiah (played by Sudhakar) stirs havoc in the family. Sailu is burdened with a huge debt and his only way out is to marry a woman who’s going to bring along a hefty dowry.
Marriages and funerals share one thing in common; they bring people together for good or bad. As complex as we human beings are, we haven’t nurtured the intellect to leave our egos at bay. Komuraiah’s death not only brings to the fore the familial conflict but also throws light on how nasty inhouse politics could destroy strong relationships.
One man’s loss is another man’s gain! This adage is a recurring theme throughout the film.
Balagam means strength and the film comes straight from Venu Yeldandi’s heart. It’s intense, pure and deeply rooted in the Sircilla (a town in Telangana) culture.
This is Venu Yeldandi aka Venu Tillu’s directorial debut and all these years, people knew him as a comedian. And whoever had doubts about the Jabardasth comic’s acumen for filmmaking, sorry to disappoint you! The man really does succeed and makes no mistake in painting a sensible rural drama.
Filmmaker Venu chooses to begin the film by turning the lens to Komuraiah strolling around the village. The entire town is familiar with this lovely old man. He is like a child. He taunts, laughs and complains about his tea not having enough sugar. And his behaviour is endearing to say the least but never annoying.
Ten minutes into the film, we see the charming old man die and his family gather at their ancestral home. Here, Venu tactfully utilises Bheems Ceciroleo’s music as a wonderful accompaniment to tell the story. The music reflects the trepidations and the inner voice of the characters.
The staging is so good at the ancestral home that at one point you see worked up villagers crying in an animated manner, which will certainly make you laugh. And the next moment the camera (cinematography by Acharya Venu) turns to Sailu’s estranged aunt played by Vijayalakshmi, who gets down from the car and emotionally runs towards her father’s body and bursts into tears. Vijayalakshmi’s husband Narayana (played by Muralidhar Goud) and Sailu’s father are not on good terms. This acts as an important conflicting point throughout the film and the clash of egos between the brothers-in-law drives the film forward. Meanwhile, another uncle of Sailu has a drinking problem and comes off as his wife’s puppet.
Cinematographer Acharya Venu doesn’t get too pompous with his framing. He sticks to the basics and that works like magic and it often takes us deep into the lives of the characters.
Sailu (played by Priyadarshi) is faced with a plethora of problems. His marriage gets canceled because his grandmother (Komuraiah’s sister) puts up a fight with the girl’s family. The lenders are behind Sailu for money and he keeps giving them creative reasons and escapes from them every single time.
After Mallesham(2019), Priyadarshi shines in Balagam. He stutters, makes us laugh and cry and asks existential questions like, “Why am I doing all this for my selfish reason?” Kavya Kalyanram as Sandhya (Sailu’s cousin(Mardalu)) is just brilliant. Every time she’s on the screen, your attention span peaks. Muralidhar Goud (known for playing D.J. Tillu’s father) as the headstrong brother-in-law deserves all the praise for nailing the character to perfection. When he smiles at the seriousness of a situation, we feel angry in the theatre. That’s the power of his performance. Venu Yeldandi manages to bring the best out of all the artists.
For a brief moment, one could get a little restless by the pacing of the film in the second half, but the screenplay doesn’t stay in that zone for a long time. The natural performances with authentic Sircilla Telangana dialect and a genuinely interesting story makes Balagam an entertaining village family drama. It’s so rooted in its culture, be it the music, theme of the story or the people, Balagam leaves a strong impact on you for days to come.
Produced by Dil Raju Productions, written and directed by Venu Yeldandi, Balagam stars Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Kavya Kalyanram, Racha Ravi, Venu Yeldandi, Sudhakar, Vijayalakshmi, and Muralidhar Goud in prominent roles. The film is currently playing in theatres.
