'Natyam' hit the screens this Friday. Let's find out what works and what doesn't in the movie.
Story:
In a fictional village named Natyam, which came into existence during the British era with the blessing of a Goddess, a young dancer named Sitara (Sandhya Raju) is determined to narrate a real-life tale of mythical proportions through a classical dance performance. Her guru (played by Adithya Menon) considers the tale inauspicious, as anybody who narrates it is believed to be accursed. Sitara's trainer Hari (Kamal Kamaraju) is miffed with Rohith (Rohith Behal), a Western dance enthusiast who befriends Sitara. The friendship between Rohith and Sitara leads to unforeseen consequences for the latter, the village and the lives of the unknown villains of the piece.
Analysis:
When the trailer for 'Natyam' was out, it seemed like the film is a cross between an Indie-flavoured drama and commercial cinema. Writer-director Revanth Korukunda, who also cranks the camera, is a fanboy of the Vittalacharya school of cinema. What emerges from his pen is a reasonable storyline. But what he presents us in terms of execution is a rather half-baked product.
For the uninitiated, Sandhya Raju is a feted dancer herself. It's fitting that her character Sitara is introduced in an Utsavam-like set-up. The song delves into the Ardhanareeshwaram theme and has a nice composition by Shravan Bharadwaj. The music director blends his talent elsewhere too when Sitara and Rohith start bonding over dance. The song 'Venuvulo' is a highlight. The production design and the VFX works are adequate for a medium-budgeted movie.
But the writing is grossly deficient. The conflict plot point is not exciting enough. When the suspense is unravelled in the climax, it is done using the narrative device of a dance performance, something that is loaded with a divine plan as well. At the core of it, the idea is meaty enough. But the drama is found wanting.
A key drawback is that the drama doesn't soar in the second half despite the fact that there is at least one twist and one revelation. The understanding of human nature is adequate, but the drama that flows from it is not gripping.
The second half drowns out all interest. There are age-old tropes such as banishment that have been narrated without imagination. Sitara's pain can't be felt because of the shoddy way in which she battles the crisis in her life. The film rushes into the climax without making us invest adequately in the conflict plot point.
The casting proves to be a dampener. Barring Sandhya Raju, the rest of them deliver low vibes. Adithya Menon is a low-budget stand-in for a Prakash Raj. Subalekha Sudhakar is forgettable. Kamal Kamaraju dances well, but a full-fledged role didn't suit him. Rohith Behal is average despite his dances.
Verdict:
'Natyam' is a lost opportunity. The backdrop of classical dancing doesn't give rise to a meaty story.
