Review : Pottel – Slow rural drama with a message

Pottel is a film that has caught everyone’s attention with its promos. With big names like Sandeep Reddy Vanga praising the film, the buzz is quite strong. Featuring Yuva Chandra and Ananya Nagalla in the lead roles, Pottel has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it turns out.

 

Story

Pottel is set in the 1980s in a backward village in Telangana. The village is dominated by Patel (Ajay), who does not want anyone to get educated or rise in life. On the other hand, Ganga (Yuva Chandra) is a local shepherd who takes care of Balamma Pottel (The Goat). His only goal in life is to get his daughter educated and expose Patel’s wrongdoings to the villagers. But one day, he loses Balamma Pottel, which had been set aside for a sacred sacrifice. Patel gets upset and warns Ganga that if he does not bring back Balamma Pottel, he will sacrifice Ganga’s daughter at the Jatara. Who stole Balamma Pottel? Did Ganga find it? and will Ganga overcome Patel’s supreme power? That forms the rest of the story.

 

Plus Points

Pottel is a social drama that realistically addresses multiple subjects. Director Sahith Mothkuri tackles issues like child education, the eradication of the caste system, and the dominance of the Patel clan in a bygone era. All of this has been interwoven skillfully into the film. The story begins with an impactful flashback, and the rustic feel of the film draws you in immediately.

One of the film’s biggest strengths is its production design. From the camerawork to the artwork depicting the past era, Pottel excels. There are many father-daughter moments that will melt your heart. The way a dominant force in the village deceives uneducated villagers is portrayed in a gripping manner.

Ajay has the meatiest role, and he delivers a stunning performance. One could easily say that Pottel features one of his best performances to date. The way he uses Telangana slang and showcases crazy expressions when he gets possessed is brought to life beautifully by Ajay. No one but Ajay could have played this part as he did.

Ananya Nagalla has a strong role and is quite impressive. Her scenes with Ajay highlight her acting prowess. Srikanth Iyengar is effective as the school teacher, and lead actor Yuva Chandra does well. Although he initially appears rough, Chandra manages to leave a strong impression by the end of the film.

The pre-climax and climax are handled superbly. The film’s emotional peaks keep Pottel engaging and intriguing. Noel Sean is also very good as the heroine’s brother. The makers have ensured that logic is consistent and the drama is well-emphasized, making Pottel engaging for the most part.

 

Minus Points

The makers have done well in keeping the film realistic but they missed the mark on proper editing. The film needs at least fifteen minutes of trimming. There’s no need for the film to run for 160 minutes, as it tends to get boring at times. Pottel has some great scenes, but they’re followed by routine and outdated scenes related to village politics. The tension between the hero and the villain lacks thrill, and this aspect should have been developed more.

The director Sahith takes too long to get to the main story, and once he does, the screenplay isn’t very engaging. After a great scene, many filler scenes could have been avoided. The director spends too much time setting up the world of Pottel, which slows the pacing. From the trailers, one gets the impression that Pottel would have many shocking scenes, but that doesn’t happen.

The villagers revolting against Patel, the hero struggling to oppose the powerful, and his family background are scenes we’ve seen in many films before. The pace of the film, especially after the first half hour, is a bit slow. The screenplay could have been much tighter. Had the film been narrated in just over two hours, the impact would have been much greater.

 

Technical Aspects

Pottel has a great background score by Sekhar Chandra, which elevates the film effectively. A few songs also fit neatly into the narrative. The camerawork by Monish is amazing, as the rustic visuals and color tones keep you engrossed in the story. As mentioned earlier, the editing could have been much better. The screenplay isn’t very gripping, but the production design is superb. The lyrics are well-written, and the dialogues in Telangana slang hold your attention.

Coming to the director, Sahith, Pottel is his second film after Savari. He has chosen a good subject and infused it with a lot of emotion. His casting is also excellent, and he narrates the film decently. However, by choosing such a long runtime, the emotions get diluted at times. His effort to deliver a social message is commendable, but the proceedings are somewhat routine and lack the shock value needed to fully capture the audience’s attention.

 

Verdict

Overall, Pottel is a passable village drama with a solid backdrop and a meaningful social message. Ajay delivers his career-best performance, but the slow pace and routine scenes disrupt the flow of the film. There’s no denying that Pottel is an honest attempt, and those who enjoy social dramas with a realistic appeal can give this film a shot.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team 

Click Here For Telugu Review