Release Date : April 22,2022
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring: Gagaan Viharri, Aparna Devi
Director: Jagath
Producers: Bhaskar Yadav Dasari
Music Director: Osho Venkat
Cinematography : Krishna Prasad
Editor: Marthand K Venkatesh
As KGF 2 is in full swing, not many biggies have made their way to the box office. So, a small film titled 1996 Dharmapuri has made its way to the big screens. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
Set in the year 1996, Dharmapuri is about Suri(Gagan Vihaari) and Malli(Aparna Devi) who come from very humble backgrounds. They fall in love and when everything seems to be going fine, Malli’s finance causes issues. If this was not enough, the village politics also suffocate the love story. But the couple goes through all odds and decides to get married. The twist on the tale arises when Suri goes missing on the wedding day. What happened to Suri? Where did he go? What will Malli do now? To know the answers, you need to watch the film on the big screens.
Plus Points:
One of the biggest assets of the film is that there is no deviation in the film. The setup, backdrop, and realistic narration are pretty good in both halves. The earthy visuals and rural emotions have worked well in the film.
Coming to the performances, the main lead Gagan Vihari has done a very good job. He as the innocent and yet stubborn village guy did justice to his role. He has good talent and will be an asset if used properly. The suspense elements that have been created in the second half look good.
Aparna Devi plays the female lead and she gets the meaty part as the small-town girl from Telangana. She is very good with her outbursts in the second half and is impressive in the climax. Naga Mahesh and Janardhan who play village heads do justice to their roles.
Minus Points:
The story of the film is quite routine. As it is based on a real-life story, there is nothing much that can be altered or added masala to. The makers take a lot of time to enter the main plot and things look slow.
Also, the twist that is showcased looks good but it should have been revealed in a more thumping manner. There are a few romantic and wooing scenes in the first half that should have been trimmed to make things look crisp.
Technical Aspects:
The camera work is pretty decent as it captures the small-town backdrop and emotions beautifully. Music by Osho Venkat is impressive as the songs and BGM are quite impressive. The Telangana lingo and production design look good. The screenplay is decent and the production values are pretty good.
Coming to the director Jagath, he has done a decent job with the film. He has taken a real-life story and weaved decent emotions around it. His narration is neat and does not have any deviations. But if he had more noted actors and added more drama, the effect would have been even more.
Verdict:
On the whole, 1996 Dharmapuri is a realistic love story with an interesting backdrop and able performances. However, the needed drama should have been elevated more in key areas. But as the curiosity factor is maintained well, this film can be given a shot this weekend for its honest storytelling.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team