'Pekamedalu' Movie Review
Cast: Vinoth Kishan, Anoosha Krishna, Ritika Srinivas, Jagan Yogi Raj, Anisha Nuthala, Ganesh Thipparaju
Music: Smaran Sai
Cinematography: Haricharan K
Dialogues & Lyrics: Bhargava Karthik
Producer: Rakesh Varre
Writer – Director: Neelagiri Mamilla
Vinoth Kishan who gained fame with his villainous act in 'Naa Peru Shiva' is arriving as a lead actor in Telugu with 'Pekamedalu'. Despite playing crucial roles in a couple of projects, he is coming up with an interesting full-length role. Anoosha Krishna is the female lead and the movie generated a lot of buzz with its creative promotional campaign. The teaser and trailer too raised hopes on this film. Let us see how the movie turned out.
Story:
Lakshman (Vinoth Krishna) is an irresponsible husband who often daydreams. He bets constantly, takes money from his friends and wastes it instead of doing something useful. His wife Varalakshmi (Anoosha Krishna) is a responsible woman who hopes to provide a better life for their kid. She isn't educated but is a very hard worker who has great plans for the future too. She is quite practical and realistic too. Lakshman wastes all the money and even looks down on Varalakshmi all the time. He even plans to leave her and marry an NRI in order to become rich. What happens to their relationship? Where do Lakshman's ego and wrongdoings lead him to? What happens to Varalakshmi? Answers to these questions form the rest of the story.
Analysis:
It is quite tough to make films that showcase the problems in society without being too preachy. The audiences have developed a sense of negativity towards message-oriented flicks and the makers have to find a way to narrate stories that give a social message but make it as relatable as possible. 'Pekamedalu' is one such film that has a sincere approach and stays true to the story right from the beginning to the end. It shows the problems faced by lower middle-class families and the struggles women go through every day. The biggest strength of the movie is its storytelling.
Backed by amazing performances from the lead actors, the down-to-earth characters, the realistic writing and the relatable scenes impress you the most. The first half is focused on introducing the nature of the lead characters and the way they approach their life. The family dynamic is established quite well and sets the platform. The slow pace in the first half could have been improved but we can see where the story is leading to. The first half is decent but it is the second half where the movie really begins to come into its own.
The emotional sequences are wonderfully executed. We get a feeling that the transformation of the hero is a bit sudden but it is later explained well. The confrontational scenes are an example of terrific writing and direction. 'Pekamedalu' touches your heart in many instances. The director sheds light on domestic violence and the climax sequence between husband and wife is very intense and powerful. The true caliber of the filmmaker and the actors are in on full display here.
The movie does have its share of flaws which include a love track that is left halfway and the director's attempt at comedy sometimes falls a bit short as the punchlines fall short. But the emotional core of the movie, gripping narration and able performances from the two lead actors make 'Pekamedalu' worth watching. It is not for commercial movie lovers but people who like realistic cinema with strong stories and characters should definitely give it a go this weekend.
Performances:
Vinoth Kishan did a fantastic job as Lakshman. As a person who always takes the wrong option and never changes in life, he delivers a splendid performance. He makes you hate his character by the end. His natural acting as an opportunistic guy is great to watch. His expressions in serious scenes were amazing. He carries the film without a doubt.
Anoosha Krishna as a responsible wife and mother delivered a sensible performance. Her outburst during the climax is worth mentioning. She fits the role quite well and conveys the emotions very well. Ritika Srinivas is okay in her role and the actors who did the roles of Lakshman were quite good. The rest of the cast were too did justice to their respective roles.
Technicians:
Though 'Pekamedalu' looks like a small film, it has a good technical quality. All the technicians delivered what was necessary for the script. The visuals were quite realistic and set the tone perfectly. The framing is standard and never goes overboard with experimentation. The music is a major plus point as the background score with a strong local flavor suited the story perfectly. They elevated a lot of crucial scenes. The production values are decent and Rakesh Varre should be appreciated for spending money on such a good subject. The editing is decent even though there is a bit of drag in the first half. You feel that the pace is too slow for a movie that is just 2 hours.
Neelagiri Mamilla should be appreciated for penning an emotional tale. The way he etched the main characters is brilliant. He indirectly teaches you a good message. He even managed to extract amazing performances from his actors and some emotional scenes will really strike a chord with the audience. Had he taken more care regarding the pace and tightened some loose ends, the film would have been even more compelling. Overall, it is an honest attempt from the 'Pekamedalu' team.
Verdict: 'Pekamedalu' - Entertains You & Teaches You But Slowly
Rating: 2.25/5