After a long time I got to watch a heart warming, feel good Telugu movie which keeps it simple but stays true to its heart. The eternal confusion of should-I-follow-my-passion or do what-the-world-is -telling-me-to-do and stick to the safe path is explored deeply and makes a clear point perhaps as strongly or better than most films - go for it. Its one life after all.
The story is about a young musician Arjun who dreams of making it big as a musician while making the kind of music he believes in. He faces the usual challenges from within the family which most artist's do - but sticks to his beliefs. While his mother hopes he will do the normal thing and settle down, his father supports his dreams tacitly, gently nudging him, while being silently supportive. That was beautifully nuanced I felt because there is a thin line between openly supporting the child and taking that dream away from the child and making it the parents' own - which pretty much makes the child resent the whole thing - and/or holding that space so lightly that the child fully owns it and goes through the journey herself and feels the joy and satisfaction of having 'earned' it. Arjun's dad Suresh (played by Suresh) brings perfect balance while being that Dad. It aptly resonates in the dedication at the end - to all fathers who support silently (not the loud ones).
There is no romantic angle, just a nice professional getting together of people who share a passion. The music is beautiful and carries you through in waves, drags you in. Nothing is overplayed as in the emotions are not squeezed dry (the contrast is shown in the way the director of commercial films explains a scene to the dazed boys, so dazed that he wants to eat a family pack biryani). In fact everything is underplayed which is good which leaves you filling in the gaps, even wanting more (better this than feeling its been stretched too long). There was not a moment when I felt distracted or felt the momentum slack - conflict, humour, drama - life playing out. The characters and credible and believable - you identify and relate to their confusion and their dilemmas. The actors pulled it off very well - the protagonist Priyatham Maanthini fits the role perfectly, the female lead Anjana Balaji equally so, and so did almost every character. No one looked out of place really. I loved it.
For debutant director Vamsi Jonnalagadda this movie must give a lot of confidence as he kept it simple (which is difficult) and perhaps lived the message he was trying to give through the movie - whatever happens, enjoy the moment, we have earned it. For him and the crew and everyone associated with the movie which shows a lot of heart, and all those with dreams and passions out there, go out and enjoy the journey. Well done Vamsi and team and may you make more such movies and express yourself fully. No one can walk the path but you, no one will understand what makes you come alive like you do. So just do it fearlessly, freely. Like the title says, write your own story. Like you all just did.
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