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Sunday, April 28, 2024
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TELUGU RANGASTHALAM
EDITOR'S PICK
Ram Charan Teja transforms in 'Rangasthalam' (Review By Subhash K.
Jha : Rating ***)
There is something enormously endearing about a superstar trying to shed his
image to get into the skin of his character the way, say, Uttam Kumar did in
Satyajit Ray's "Nayak" or Rajesh Khanna in Basu Bhattacharya's "Aavishkar".
In "Rangasthalam", Ram Charan Teja transforms in front of our eyes. It is almost
like watching a magic show where the entire appearance of the actor undergoes a
sea change as we gawk in open-mouthed amazement. Except that here Ram Charan is
not ostentatious in his mutation. He changes his personality, yes. But in doing
so he makes sure he merges into the rustic rugged violent milieu of injustice
and inequality where one man plays an evil God.
Jagapati Babu, filled with sound, fury and a flurry, as the underhand God is so
larger-than-life you fear the frames will crack open under the spell of this
self-appointed God's heavy ego. Ram Charan Teja suffers no such anxieties. As
the partially disabled docile, shy and goodhearted Chitti Babu he is a hero
unlike any other: vulnerable and sensitive, prone to defeat if push comes to
shove but not embarrassed to be pushed against the wall, willing to take the
punch on the chin.
Most of the dramatic conflict is generated in tandem, with Ram Charan sharing
screen space unconditionally with his screen brother, played by Adhi Panisetty.
When Ram Charan is with his brother he is tender. When he is with his beloved,
he is super-tender. Emotions are not concealed in a false sense of machismo that
screen heroes often suffer from.
There is no effort to take over the show, to emerge as unvanquished conqueror.
Ram Charan remains almost flawlessly in character: diffident and disarmingly
disingenuous, valiant but not fearless. This underplayed heroic dimension to
large-screen heroism is the film's greatest strength.
For the rest, this lengthy yet tightly-edited melodrama plays itself out with a
karmic velocity giving the main characters a chance to grow without revelling in
their dazzle.The rural landscape with its toasted-brown virility is sturdily
captured by cinematographer Rathnavelu who treats the landscape with lensed
casualness.
And yes, there is the pretty Samantha Akkineni as the doughty female
protagonist. She tries hard to blend into the rural fabric of this pitch-perfect
morality tale. Charming, yes. But Samantha doesn't quite blend into the bucolic
with the ease of Ram Charan.
The film keeps back some surprises right to the end. Though "Rangasthalam" has
nothing startlingly new to offer in its content, it is a warm sincere effort to
give its leading man a new image.
This is a film from the heart. It delivers its punches with sincerity and
without flourish.
Telugu film "Rangasthalam" has left actor Junior NTR impressed. He has lauded the director for staying true to the vision of making a raw and rustic emotional period drama and has praised actor Ram Charan for his performance."Just saw 'Rangasthalam'. Hats off to you Charan. You truly deserve all the applause and accolades that you are getting.Read More
