Let me first take you on a nostalgic ride. Walk back in time and try to recollect the glimpses of your childhood when your father chided you for roaming on the streets and your mother scolded when you were playing in the rain. At that time, they seemed to be unbearable for all of us and we thought our wings of freedom were cut. Now, we revisit and revere those simple but beautiful moments of glory, and realize how pristine was the love and affection showered by the family. Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu takes you on such an emotional journey and weaves a gossamer tapestry of relationships.
One can draw a parallel between a family and the society. A family can be equivalent to society, but is it possible the other way around is the intriguing question. Society is loaded with people with different characteristics, problems, tensions, struggles and many more. No one finds time for others and they stick to their own self and strive to uplift themselves. If we can imbibe the affections of a family into the society then we can plausibly ward off its afflictions and achieve Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the whole world is one single family. This is the summary of SVSC and writer-director Srikanth Addala says you need not don the role of a messiah of masses or a masked vigilante to save the society and make it prosperous. All it needs is the gift of a good family. His vision knew no bounds when he showcased these thoughts in the film. Expand you horizon and think beyond the normal should be his mantra when he etched this storyline. For that matter, we can’t label it as a story because it’s difficult to constrain LIFE in the form of a story.
The head of the family, Prakash Raj, who is a good samaritan has two sons – Peddodu and Chinnodu played by Venkatesh and Mahesh Babu respectively. Peddodu is irascible, obdurate and doesn’t like to mend his ways for others and Chinnodu is pliable and moves ahead with times by deftly managing things and people. Both the brothers love each other and are cynosure of their family’s eyes. The other members of the family are Seetha (Anjali) - a village belle who always dreams of marrying peddodu and charms everyone with her spontaneity and effervescent nature; Jayasudha who’s brilliant in her role as the mother; and Rohini Hattangadi who plays the grandmother of the family. The director takes ample time to establish these characters on screen but for some he’s left some loose ends and their very purpose is only elucidated in the latter half. Subtle clashes, mood swings, emotional quotient between the brothers and how they battle against the odds forms rest of the story.
The road less taken is taken for a reason and SVSC is a living testimony to this adage. The film goes into our hearts as a beautiful, heart-warming story, albeit there is some piece de resistance. Srikanth Addala might have had a tough time convincing Venaktesh and Mahesh for this project. He’s beaten the stardom of two superstars to pulp and all through the movie we see them as actors and not stars. The director also ensured not to scribble on the clean-slate imagery of the film with any unwanted fights, forced laughter and item songs. How the brothers get separated on tiffs and how they are reunited and in the process how they handle their emotions – throwing the glass, breaking the pot etc., are put together like a string of pearls. The atmosphere of Godavari district and its slang shown in the film gives us a vicarious feeling.
The second half of the film is a bit slow and dramatic and climax is the heart of the film. Geeta (Samantha) who’s part of a rival family plays the love interest of Chinnodu. Their conversations are uber funny and are part of the endearing moments of the film. Mahesh Babu crossed another milestone with this film. On one side, Venkatesh’s character is underplayed and he breaks into emotions in no time and on contrary, Mahesh’s Chinnodu is controlled and when time comes he’s ready to walk that extra mile. Rao Ramesh as the head of the rival family is a key plot driver of the film. The way he embarrasses both the brothers and the follow of events forms the crux of the story. The conflict point between him and Venkatesh were handled ably by the director. Anjali and Samantha play two extremes of the spectrum and shine in their respective roles. After a long time, it’s pleasure to watch Prakash Raj in such a magnetic role.
K V Guhan’s cinematography lends the film an appealing, often magnified, rustic aura. He complements the film-maker’s muse by selectively framing the village, the house, the railway station and other locations of greenery-soaked rural landscapes. It’s good to see veteran writer Ganesh Patro comeback with crisp and razor-sharp dialogue. Mickey J Meyer serves a bland platter of assortments but Mani Sharma spices it up and makes the meal palatable. You relish the BGMs but go through anguish while listening to the songs. I am surprised why the entire music department was not given to Mani Sharma, he would have definitely pulled off another Murari or Athadu with his music. Some dismal moments in the film are when a gal pops up in every scene and exalts Mahesh to the status of a Greek god, and he gets rejected in a job interview for wearing a fake smile. In an otherwise immaculate family-entertainer these things remain as black spots.
Bottom-line: Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimale Chettu is a gently flavored, soothing savory, blended in perfect proportions of saccharine and other ingredients. It’s a slice-of-life film replete with multiple layers of love, emotions and subtle shades of grey. Dil Raju and Srikanth Addala should be applauded for this laudable effort of crafting a fine tale. This sensible film takes the love for your village, language, family, emotions, relationships, society to another level. Smile and make others smile, then the world becomes a utopian land, and for that we need good families - That’s the magical message given by SVSC.
My Rating: Expectation – 7/10; Reality – 7.5/10
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