Review : Balagam – Simple & Organic

A small-budget film named Balagam starring Priyadarshi and Kavya Kalyanram in the lead roles gained decent buzz of late. Directed by comedian Venu Yeldandi, the movie is backed by Dil Raju. The film hit the screens today, and let’s find out how it is.

 

Story:

Set in the interior of Telangana, Balagam revolves around the feud between Ailayya (Jayaram) and Narayana (Muralidhar Goud) families. Saailu (Priyadarshi), a youngster, tries his hand at every business but fails to achieve success. Saailu decides to marry so that he can set off the dowry amount against his debt and escape the wrath of moneylenders. Much to Saailu’s shock, his grandfather Komurayya dies, and during the older man’s final rites, Saailu’s marriage gets canceled due to a petty argument. What did Saailu do then? Did he clear his debt? How is Sandhya (Kavya Kalyanram) related to this story? What’s the reason for wrangling between the two families? Watch the film to know the answers.

 

Plus Points:

One doesn’t feel like watching a film for the whole 131 minutes. Such is the beauty of Balagam. Everything looks completely natural, and the film has a lot of relatability. Be it the village environment, the artists’ body language, the petty quarrels that take place in villages, or the innocence of villagers, everything looks damn realistic, which makes the audience easily connect to the film. The characters are so real who we see in our daily lives.

The idea of exploring human values and emotions and linking them to the death of a person is superb. Recently Rajendra Prasad’s Anukoni Prayanam also came along similar lines. What works with Balagam is the genuine presentation of emotions without any cinematic liberties. Healthy and situational humor will surely bring a big smile to faces. The emotions take center stage in the second hour and are sure to touch the heartstrings.

The director’s idea to tell the story through the usage of folklore songs is brilliant. The Telangana culture is neatly presented throughout, and the customs and traditions are made an integral part of the story. Priyadarshi and Kavya Kalyanram lived in their roles, and it is good that the artists have chosen a heartwarming subject at such a young age.

Director Venu and Racha Ravi are adequate in their roles. Racha Ravi’s scene with Priyadarshi in the second half is hilarious. The casting was on point, and everyone did a fantastic job in the film. Every actor got the Telangana dialect right, and the emotions got conveyed nicely due to the presence of amazing artists. Muralidhar Goud, Roopa, and Jayaram stand out among the supporting cast. The climax portions are brilliantly executed and heart-wrenching.

 

Minus Points:

More time is taken for the character establishments initially, and this aspect could have been taken care of. The first hour moves at a slow pace, and the proceedings gather momentum only from the interval portions.

Balagam surely is not for those who look for time-pass flicks. There is a lot of honesty in the storytelling, and the film doesn’t have any commercial ingredients as such, which is expected by a section of the audience. The editing could have been better in the first hour.

 

Technical Aspects:

Bheem Ceciroleo will surprise one and all with his music, and he proved with Balagam that he is just not meant for mass beats. A lot of detailing has gone into the songs representing the customs and traditions. The cinematography by Acharya Venu is authentic, showing the beautiful countryside. The production values are good. The editing is just okay. It is great to see makers backing a film like Balagam believing in the plot.

Special applause to Venu Yeldandi, the director turned comedian, for penning such a heartwarming story and mixing it with the rural heartland. Many scenes show the directorial skills of Venu. The elongated single-shot sequences, kids asking permission to watch television to eliminate boredom amidst 11-day rituals, and the altercation between the legal heirs for their share of property during extreme distress are a few examples to depict the writer in Venu.

The belief that the soul doesn’t attain liberty when crows deny the offering for Shradh is widely known to everyone, and Venu used this point in three different instances to enhance the drama. This worked pretty well for the film. It’s a rarity to see films where the story is given major importance. Balagam is such one flick where the concentration was entirely on storytelling sans any unwanted masala.

 

Verdict:

On the whole, Balagam is a genuine attempt to explore human values and emotions that is devoid of any commercial ingredients. The film’s trump cards are the natural village atmosphere, heartwarming performances, and gratifying emotional sequences. As mentioned earlier, the film might not sit well with a section of the audience. Barring the slightly slow first half, this film can be watched on big screens this weekend.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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