Plot: Married couple Dolly and Sudheer, who moved to Hyderabad and eloped, return to Guntur for a relative’s burial at Paruvu. The couple’s families had disowned them because of their different castes. When the pair returns home, they find themselves embroiled in a major criminal case and discover that their connection has made them targets. The series delves deeper into the serious topic of honour killings in South India, with multiple individuals involved in subplots that add to the story’s complexity.
What lured us in: In the world of Indian web series, the notion of this one is novel. It tells a compelling story while delving into a significant socio-political topic. The terrible reality of India’s caste system is depicted in Paruvu, where the main characters frequently engage in violence and bloodshed. It also examines the loneliness that results from rejecting social norms, as we witness Dolly’s attempts to maintain a relationship with her family.
Technical aspects: Technically speaking, Paruvu’s cinematography is superb. From the start, Vidyasagar Chinta used original camera techniques. The exterior views show how the environment is changing as Dolly and Sudheer make their way to Guntur. They travel along high-rise residential complexes and streets lit by streetlights in Hyderabad’s urban area. They travel through unidentified lanes on dimly lit dirt roads in rural Andhra Pradesh. The opening twenty minutes of the first episode cover all of this. As the show goes on, Chinta plays with hued lighting, reflections in water, and dark cast shadows that work nicely with the story.
Performances: Another noteworthy aspect is the cast’s diversity. Siddarth and Rajashekar made an attempt to select actors with less experience in addition to well-known actors. One such actor is rookie Siddha, who plays a significant and commendable role as a silent character who uses ASL for communication. Despite playing a small role, Amit Tiwari’s portrayal of Kalloji had a strong effect.
What we found kind of dull: It can be challenging to keep track of all the characters and plots. Despite the fact that every character is connected, things become very unclear very quickly. You start to get tired of the subplots by the third episode. Although I can appreciate Siddarth and Rajashekar’s Tarantino-inspired vision, it’s crucial to consider the audience’s attention span. In an effort to extend the plot, the final two episodes seem to have been slapped together. The resolution is completely unclear and feels like a complete afterthought to the main story. Dolly and Sudheer, the primary protagonists, make a number of poor choices that both function as plot devices and cause the audience to question their judgment. The show’s idea is actually flawed. Given that they would be in danger, why would the couple even go back to their hometown? Paruvu takes a number of artistic licenses that make it difficult to distinguish between an instructive and poignant thriller and an unrealistic soap opera. Additionally perplexing is Praneetha Patnaik’s portrayal of the character Swathi. Similar to Dolly and Sudheer, she makes a number of dubious choices. When her fiancé disappears, she draws hasty conclusions and causes needless chaos in a community that is already in hardship. Her manipulative nature makes it difficult to sympathise with her because she seems to have no ulterior motive.
Verdict: Even if Paruvu is a crucial reminder of some long-standing problems in Andhra Pradesh, the series nevertheless finds it difficult to leave an impression. Despite being intriguing, the numerous subplots became tiresome and laborious after the first few episodes. Although some of the cast members’ performances and the filmmaking are commendable, there is still more to be desired.
Cast: Nivetha Pethuraj, Naresh Agastya, Nagendra Babu, Ramesh, Sunil Kommisetty, Praneetha Patnaik, Rajkumar Kasireddy, and Amit Tiwari
Director: Siddarth Naidu and Rajashekar Vadlapati
Producer: Potla Lakshmi Saranya, Vishnu Prasad Lagisetty, and Sushmita Konidela
Creator: Pavan Sadineni
Writer: Siddarth Naidu
Streaming on: ZEE5
Rating: 2/5
