Release Date : August 05, 2022
123telugu.com Rating : 3.5/5
Starring: Dulquer Salmaan, Mrunal Thakur, Rashmika Mandanna and Sumanth.
Director: Hanu Raghavapudi
Producer: Aswini Dutt
Music Director: Vishal Chandrasekhar
Cinematography : P. S. Vinod, Shreyaas Krishna
Editor: Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Malayalam star hero Dulquer Salmaan is back with his second straight Telugu film Sita Ramam. Mrunal Thakur is the female lead. The film is carrying good buzz and it hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
Afreen (Rashmika Mandanna) is a student president of Pakistan at a university in London. She takes up the job of delivering a letter to Sita Mahalakshmi (Mrunal Thakur) at the insistence of her grandfather’s will. Though she doesn’t like the job, she agrees to do it to get her share of her grandfather’s property. The letter is written by Lieutenant Ram (Dulquer Salmaan) to Sita. Who is this Ram? Who is Sita Mahalakshmi? What is the connection between Ram and Afreen’s grandfather? Watch the film to know the answers.
Plus Points:
We have been hearing what a terrific performer Dulquer Salmaan is. The actor once again proves his worth with Sita Ramam. He breathes life into Lieutenant Ram’s character. He looks good and his screen presence is blazing. Be it the emotional scenes or the romantic ones, he delivers them splendidly.
The surprise package here is Mrunal Thakur. She makes a staggering Telugu debut. She looked gorgeous in sarees and performed with ease. She surely will have a bright future ahead.
The romantic track has been handled in a very classy manner. The scenes involving the lead pair were showcased majestically and the chemistry is cracking. The music is very rich. Some scenes will tug your heartstrings.
Though there are a lot of characters on screen, each has its significance which is not an easy task to handle. Sumanth and Rashmika’s roles are beautifully woven into this story. They got major roles and did a splendid job. The character arc of Sumanth has been written with perfection. Though this is a love story, certain major twists are well placed in the film that are whistle worthy.
Few dialogues spark and make us think. They are short and register well. The second half of the movie is terrific, to say the least. The way the war angle has been brought into a love story deserves special applause. The writing team did an exquisite job.
Minus Points:
The first half of the film is slow-paced. Director took more time to get into the actual plot. Even though the story is set well, it takes more of the screen time. The editing team could have done an, even more, better job by reducing the length to prop up the film’s tempo.
The comedy in the film looks a bit odd. Though it evokes laughs it feels like it is not necessary to this plot. There are a few logical errors. To name one, a character looks the same even after 20 years without much change.
The theme of the movie may not appeal to the masses. The songs at places come as speed breakers disturbing the flow of the film. The film turns out a bit slow at times making it feel lengthy.
Technical Aspects:
The production values are top-notch. The makers have spent very well on the film which is pretty evident on the screen. Even for smaller roles noted artists have been brought on board which added much value to the film. Production house should be appreciated for this. The visuals are eye-catching. Cinematographer PS Vinod and Shreyas were phenomenal in depicting the numerous locations present in the film. The majestic Kashmir is well captured.
The music by Vishal Chandrasekhar is very pleasant and sets the mood for this beautiful love story. The background score is just perfect. The editing team did an okayish job. The length of the film is its main stumbling block. The first half could have been crisp.
Coming to director Hanu Raghavapudi, he clearly overcame his second-half syndrome. As promised in the promotions, he delivered big time with the latter part. The way he narrated this love story with enchanting visuals, and prodigious characterizations, is stupendous. Though the first half isn’t great he makes it up with his storytelling in the later hour. He delivered one of the best love stories in a long time.
Verdict:
On the whole Sita Ramam is a beautiful love story. The film has a decent first half and great second half. The scintillating performances by all the lead cast, the pleasing narrative, and the poetic writing will make you poignant and heartwarming. As the film is centered around a simple love story and war, it may not be overwhelming to the masses. Almost all the departments did a superlative job. Director Hanu gave us a beautiful and aesthetic love story that should surely be enjoyed on big screens. You can surely watch this film without a doubt. It is worth all your money.
123telugu.com Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team