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'Rangasthalam' Review: Charan Steals The Show

Movie: Rangasthalam Rating: 3.25/5 Banner: Mythri Movie Makers Cast: Ram Charan, Samantha Akkineni, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Aadhi Pinisetty, Prakash Raj, Jagapati Babu, Amit Sharma, Pooja Hegde and others Music: Devi Sri Prasad Cinematography: R. Rathnavelu Editing: Navin Nooli Production design: Ramakrishna, Mounika Action stunts: Ram - Laxman  Producers: Naveen Yerneni, Y. Ravi Shankar, Mohan Cherukuri Story, screenplay and Direction: Sukumar Release date: March 30, 2018

One film that has been generating lots of buzz for the last few months is Ram Charan and Sukumar’s “Rangasthalam”.

The film has generated a huge interest among film lovers, and of course Charan’s fans. Amidst high expectations, this rural drama set in the '80s has hit the screens.

Let’s find out if the film lives up to the expectations...

Story: In the 1980’s, in a fictional village called Rangasthalam in Andhra Pradesh, Chitti Babu (Ram Charan) leads a happy life doing agricultural work. He is partly deaf. He falls for the charms of the village belle Ramalakshmi (Samantha).

When his life is going smooth, trouble arises when his well-educated elder brother Kumar Babu (Aadi Pinisetty) contests for the gram panchayat elections against the ruling president (Jagapathi Babu).

Village rumour has it that the president’s men killed many people who tried to contest against him in the past.

Can he remain silent when Kumar Babu threatens to unseat him? The village politics turn murkier forcing Chitti Babu to take up the sword.

Artistes’ Performances: Undoubtedly, this is Ram Charan’s best performance of his career. Playing a deaf character is challenging for any artiste and it is even tougher for a mass star like Charan. He daringly accepted this role and put in his heart into the role of Chitti Babu, shutting the mouths of his detractors. Even when the film turns dull during the second half, he glues us to the screens with his performance. His terrific act is the real highlight of the film.

Samantha as village girl Rama Lakshmi, also does a terrific job. It's surprising to see her switching effortlessly into the role.

Aadi Pinisetty gets a prominent role and he does a good job. In the two important roles, Jagapathi Babu as village’s landlord and Prakash Raj as MLA Dakshina Murthy, have both given their best performances.

Anasuya as Rangamma is a surprise. She shines in this role.

Technical Excellence: Sukumar’s movies always carry high technical and aesthetic values. Though the film is set in 1985 in an interior village, the locales, the sets and the production design is stunning. Entire Godavari village is realistically recreated by art directors Ramakrishna and Mounika.

The ever-dependable Rathnavelu has also captured the rugged rustic beauty and the picturesque Godavari belt in an eye-catching manner.

But music is definitely the film's strength. The song “Yentha sakkagunnave” is excellently filmed. “Rangamma mangamma” has great verve. There are two bit songs too. Devi Sri Prasad has given best output with background score.

Action stunts are okay. Editing needs crispiness especially in the later part of the movie.

Highlights: Ram Charan Performance of all actors Music Production design  Final twist

Drawback: Regular revenge theme Drags Inbetween

Analysis: With the very first scene that shows Ram Charan speeding his bicycle to save Prakash Raj from the road accident, the film takes us to the 1980’s rural area. Without taking much time, Sukumar establishes the story and the characters. We have a hero who has hearing problem. We have a village president who is evil and corrupt. We have a beautiful girl. And a well-educated brother of hero who wants to bring change in the village. The characters and their motives are established in the very beginning. Story is set. Conflict is created.

To hold the interest for two hours, Sukumar uses a back and forth narrative. In fact, the beginning and the climax part of “Rangasthalam” reminds us of recent Nani starrer “MCA”.

The conflict between a good young guy and the ruthless village president is seen in many films in the 1980’s. As the story is too familiar, Sukumar has focused on other elements.

Sukumar has not attempted anything novel in terms of plot, but he succeeds in bringing out best performances and transports us to the rural area of AP during the 1980’s.

Also, he has written the characterization of hero Ram Charan differently which is the main strength. Hero playing a guy with hearing problems is somewhat unusual. This handicap is effectively used in driving the story and screenplay. Every twist and turn in the film is based on this deficiency of the hero. But the politics shown here are too naïve and clichéd.

In earlier movies, Sukumar had indulged in mathematical equations and made audiences use their brains. Here he has chosen a simple story, regular situations, but this time he has indulged in over melodrama.

Jagapathi Babu’s menacing performance (he hardly speaks in the entire movie), Samantha’s fun role as Ramalakshmi, Anasuya’s characterization make a lot of difference to this regular story.

As said earlier, Sukumar puts more focus on creating mood: the village scene, the '80’s period, the dialects of the actors, the customs and the tirunallu… all are pitch perfect and create a fresh feel. Both his actors and technicians have put in their best work for this film.

The art work is exceptionally good. The camera work is beautiful. Though not all songs are catchy, Devi Sri Prasad has given one of the best outputs. Thus, the film works on these aspects and fails in presenting any new point.

Like in his previous movies, Sukumar begins well, but loses grip in the second half. While the first half of the movie has many moments especially the romantic track of Charan and Samantha, the second half is clichéd drama. Moreover, by the end of the movie, one gets 'heavy' feel by the runtime and melodrama.

Overall, “Rangasthalam” is not a regular mass film. Nor is the story different. It is all about performances and best production design. Ram Charan gets to show the world that he is a good actor too, apart from having good dance moves.

Bottom-line: Worth Visiting

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సినిమా రివ్యూ: రంగస్థలం

రివ్యూ: రంగస్థలం రేటింగ్‌: 3.25/5 బ్యానర్‌: మైత్రి మూవీ మేకర్స్‌ తారాగణం: రామ్‌ చరణ్‌, సమంత, జగపతిబాబు, ఆది పినిశెట్టి, అనసూయ, ప్రకాష్‌రాజ్‌, నరేష్‌, బ్రహ్మాజీ, జబర్దస్త్‌ మహేష్‌, అజయ్‌ ఘోష్‌, పూజా హెగ్డే తదితరులు కూర్పు: నవీన్‌ నూలి కళ: రామకృష్ణ సాహిత్యం: చంద్రబోస్‌ సంగీతం: దేవిశ్రీప్రసాద్‌ ఛాయాగ్రహణం: రత్నవేలు నిర్మాతలు: నవీన్‌ యేర్నేని, వై. రవిశంకర్‌, మోహన్‌ (సివిఎం) రచన, దర్శకత్వం: బి. సుకుమార్‌ విడుదల తేదీ: మార్చి 30, 2018

''క్యారెక్టర్‌ తలకెక్కడం కష్టం కానీ అండీ… ఒక్కసారి అది కానీ కనక్ట్‌ అయిందంటే ఇక ఆ పాత్రలో జీవించేస్తానండీ''

రామ్‌ చరణ్‌ ఈ మాటలెక్కడా అనలేదు కానీ… రంగస్థలంలో చిట్టిబాబుగా పరకాయ ప్రవేశం చేసిన అతని నట పటిమకి ఈ మాటలు అతను చెబుతున్నట్టుగా మనకి అనిపిస్తుంది. మూస సినిమాల్లో నటిస్తూ 'యాక్షన్‌, కట్‌' ఇన్‌స్ట్రక్షన్స్‌ని ఫాలో అయిపోతూ చాలా రోబాటిక్‌గా కనిపిస్తూ వచ్చిన చరణ్‌ 'రంగస్థలం'లో ఫస్ట్‌ షాట్‌ నుంచీ మనకి తెలిసిన 'మెగా పవర్‌స్టార్‌'ని మర్చిపోయేట్టు చేసి 'చిట్టిబాబు'ని మాత్రం చూసేట్టు చేసాడు.

నిద్రాణమై వున్న మెగా జీన్స్‌ అన్నీ ఒకేసారి పూనకం వచ్చి విజృంభించినట్టు… 'అసలు యాక్టర్‌ మెటీరియలేనా?' అన్నవాళ్లతోనే 'ఏమి యాక్టర్‌రా బాబూ' అనిపించేసాడు. ఒక నటుడికి ఒక క్యారెక్టర్‌ నచ్చితే, దాంతో కనక్ట్‌ కాగలిగితే ఎంతగా లీనమైపోగలడో, ఇంకెంతగా దానికి జీవం పోయగలడో చరణ్‌ చూపించాడు. తన కెరీర్‌లోనే అత్యుత్తమ నట ప్రదర్శన ఇవ్వడమే కాదు… ఒకేసారి ఉత్తమ నటుల సరసన స్థానాన్ని సొంతం చేసుకునే రీతిన చిట్టిబాబుగా ఒదిగిపోయాడు.

ఆ మాటకొస్తే చరణ్‌ ఒక్కడనే కాదు… 'రంగస్థలం'లోని అందరు నటులూ తమ పాత్రల్లో ఒదిగిపోయారు. చక్కని క్యారెక్టరైజేషన్లు రాసుకుని, నేటివిటీకి తగ్గట్టు సజీవమైన స్కెచ్‌లు డిజైన్‌ చేయించిన సుకుమార్‌ ఇందులోని ప్రతి ఒక్కరికీ గుర్తుండిపోయే సినిమానిచ్చాడు. జగపతిబాబు ఎన్నో విలన్‌ పాత్రలు చేసినా కానీ ఇందులోని 'ప్రెసిడెంట్‌గారు' అతని కెరీర్‌లో వన్‌ ఆఫ్‌ ది బెస్ట్‌ క్యారెక్టర్స్‌. ఆది, సమంత, అనసూయ ఇలా అందరికీ 'గర్వించే' చిత్రాన్నిచ్చాడు. సైడ్‌ క్యారెక్టర్లు చేసిన జబర్దస్త్‌ మహేష్‌, అజయ్‌ ఘోష్‌లాంటి వారికి కూడా ఇదో టర్నింగ్‌ పాయింట్‌ అవుతుందనడంలో సందేహం లేదు.

మైండ్‌ గేమ్స్‌తో, ఇంటిలిజెంట్‌ టాక్టిక్స్‌తో, లేదా కన్‌ఫ్యూజింగ్‌ లాజిక్స్‌తో సుకుమార్‌ హీరోలు సహజత్వానికి కాస్త దూరంగా వుంటూ వుంటారు. అయితే ఈసారి 'లెక్కల మాస్టర్‌' అలాంటి అన్‌రియలిస్టిక్‌ అప్రోచ్‌ మాని, సోకాల్డ్‌ ఇంటిలిజెంట్‌ స్క్రీన్‌ప్లే జోలికి కానీ పోకుండా స్ట్రెయిట్‌ నెరేషన్‌తో సహజత్వాన్ని ప్రతిబింబించే కథ, పాత్రలు, భావోద్వేగాలు సృష్టించాడు. సుకుమార్‌ అండ్‌ టీమ్‌ తమతో పాటు మనని పంతొమ్మిది వందల ఎనభైవ దశకంలోకి తీసుకుపోతారు. గోదావరి తీరంలో వున్న రంగస్థలం అనే కల్పిత గ్రామానికి చెందిన కథ చెబుతారు.

భూస్వామ్య వ్యవస్థలో అష్టకష్టాలు పడుతోన్న ఆ ఊరి ప్రజల కోసం అండగా నిలబడతారు ఇద్దరు అన్నదమ్ములు. పవర్‌కి ఎదురెళ్లిన ప్రతి ఒక్కరినీ కబళించే ఆ వ్యవస్థలో ఆ ఇద్దరు సోదరులు అనుకున్నది సాధించగలిగారా? అధికారాన్ని నిలదీసిన పర్యవసానంగా ఆ సామాన్యుల జీవితాలు ఏమవుతాయి?

సుకుమార్‌ కథ మనకి తెలిసినదే. అయితే ఒక్కసారి గతంలోకి తీసుకెళ్లి కల్పిత గ్రామంలో వాస్తవిక పాత్రలు చూపించడంతో చాలా కొత్త అనుభూతిని కలిగిస్తుంటుంది. కథలోని ముఖ్య ఘట్టాలన్నీ ఊహించినట్టుగానే జరుగుతుంటాయి. కాకపోతే తన పాత్రలని తీర్చిదిద్దిన తీరుతో సుకుమార్‌ ఆసక్తిని కలిగిస్తాడు. నిదానంగా నడిచే కథనం అయినప్పటికీ ఎక్కడా డ్రామాకి లోటు లేకపోవడంతో విసుగనిపించదు.

సుకుమార్‌ దర్శకత్వంలో వున్న మరో గొప్ప లక్షణం ఏమిటంటే… ఏ సన్నివేశం కూడా కమర్షియల్‌ విలువల కోసం నేల విడిచి సాము చేయదు. తన కథలోంచి కాస్త కూడా డీవియేట్‌ అవకుండానే అతను ఏ ఎమోషన్‌ అయినా పండిస్తాడు. హీరోయిజం ఎలివేట్‌ చేయడంలోను సుకుమార్‌ ఇదే తీరు చూపిస్తాడు. సగటు మాస్‌ హీరోలా పంచ్‌ డైలాగులు చెప్పడం, బిగ్గరగా అరుస్తూ సవాళ్లు చేయడం అతని హీరోలు చేయరు. విలన్‌ పేరుకి సంబంధించిన చిన్న కాన్సెప్ట్‌తో పీక్స్‌లో హీరోయిజం చూపించిన తీరుకి సుకుమార్‌కి హేట్సాఫ్‌ చెప్పాల్సిందే.

కథలో కొత్తదనం ఏమీ వుండదు. చాలా తెలిసిన, ఎన్నోసార్లు చూసిన ప్లాట్‌ ఇది. అయితే ఆ ప్లాట్‌ కొత్తగా అనిపించేట్టు చేసింది పాత్ర చిత్రణే. హీరోకి వినికిడి సమస్య పెట్టడంతోనే అదో డ్రైవింగ్‌ ఫ్యాక్టర్‌ అయిపోయింది. దానిని వాడుకుంటూ హాస్యం మాత్రమే కాకుండా వివిధ భావోద్వేగాలని సయితం పండించిన తీరు, చివరకు దానిచుట్టే అల్లుకున్న క్లయిమాక్స్‌ ట్విస్టు సుకుమార్‌ తెలివితేటలని చాటిచెపుతాయి.

కేవలం కథానాయకుడు, కొన్ని ముఖ్య పాత్రలు మాత్రం రాసేసుకుని సన్నివేశాలు రూపొందించేస్తూ వుంటారు. కానీ ఈ కథలో కేవలం ముఖ్య పాత్రలే కాకుండా సపోర్టింగ్‌ రోల్స్‌ అన్నీ కూడా ఎంతో పక్కాగా సిద్ధమయ్యాయి. ఉదాహరణకి అనసూయ పాత్రనే తీసుకుంటే మొదట్లో వినోదానికి మాత్రమే అన్నట్టున్న పాత్రకి ఒక ఎమోషనల్‌ టర్న్‌ ఇచ్చిన తీరు మెప్పిస్తుంది.

సుకుమార్‌ రెగ్యులర్‌గా తీసే 'తెలివైన' సినిమాల్లా లేకపోయినా కానీ అతని మార్కు చివరి ఘట్టంలో ప్రస్ఫుటమవుతుంది. బలమైన సన్నివేశాలు, పదునైన సంభాషణలు వెరసి రంగస్థలం అడుగడుగునా రక్తి కడుతూ రొటీన్‌ సినిమాల మధ్య రెగ్యులర్‌ సెటప్‌తోనే చాలా డిఫరెంట్‌ ఫీల్‌ ఇస్తుంది. డ్రామా చిక్కబడుతోన్న సమయంలో కథనం మరింత నిదానంగా మారిపోవడం సుకుమార్‌ సినిమాల్లో కనిపించే బలహీనత.

ఈ చిత్రంలో కూడా అది ద్వితియార్ధం మధ్యలో చొరబడుతుంది. కాకపోతే రామ్‌ చరణ్‌ కళ్లు తిప్పుకోనివ్వని అభినయం బలహీనతల్ని అధిగమించేట్టు చేసింది. కథలోని అత్యంత ముఖ్య ఘట్టం కోసం చాలా సమయం వెచ్చించిన సుకుమార్‌ ఆ భారాన్ని చివరి ఘట్టంతో చాలా వరకు మరిపించేసి, ఓవరాల్‌గా ఒక 'మంచి సినిమా' చూసిన ఫీలింగ్‌తో బయటకి పంపిస్తాడు.

పల్లెటూరి నేపథ్యంలో అనేక సినిమాలొచ్చాయి కానీ వేటిలోను లేనంత సహజత్వం 'రంగస్థలం'లో కనిపిస్తుంది. కళా దర్శకుడు, ఛాయాగ్రహకుడు చూపించిన ప్రతిభ అపారం. ముప్పయ్యేళ్ల క్రితం నాటి గ్రామాన్ని, పరిస్థితులని, వాతావరణాన్ని కళ్ళకి కట్టేసారు. డీటెయిలింగ్‌ పరంగా సుకుమార్‌ తీసుకునే కేర్‌కి 'రంగస్థలం' అద్దం పడుతుంది. సాంకేతికంగా అత్యున్నత స్థాయిలో తెరకెక్కిన ఈ చిత్రానికి సంగీత, సాహిత్యాల పరంగా కూడా అప్పటి కాలమానానికి తగ్గ వాయిద్యాలు, భాష వినిపిస్తాయి. 

సుకుమార్‌ తీర్చిదిద్దిన పాత్రలు నటీనటులు ప్రాణం పోస్తే, అతని ఆలోచనలని అత్యద్భుతంగా తెరమీదకి తీసుకొచ్చిన ఘనత సాంకేతిక వర్గానికి దక్కుతుంది. దేవిశ్రీప్రసాద్‌ పాటలే కాకుండా నేపథ్య సంగీతం కూడా ఎనభైల శైలితో కొత్త అనుభూతినిస్తుంది. బ్యాక్‌డ్రాప్‌కి, టైమ్‌ పీరియడ్‌కి తగ్గట్టు అద్భుతమైన సినిమాలు తీయడం తమిళ దర్శకులకే (పరుత్తివీరన్‌, సుబ్రమణ్యపురం) కాదు, మనసు పెడితే మనవాళ్లు కూడా అలాంటి గుర్తుండిపోయే మణిపూసలని అందించగలరని రంగస్థలం చాటిచెబుతుంది.

సగటు 'ఎంటర్‌టైనర్స్‌' నుంచి బ్రేక్‌ కోరుకునే వారికి రిలీఫ్‌ ఇచ్చే రియలిస్టిక్‌, రస్టిక్‌ ఎమోషనల్‌ డ్రామా ఇది. ఎమోషన్స్‌ మరీ 'రా'గా చూపించడం వల్ల సెన్సిటివ్‌ ఆడియన్స్‌కి కాసేపు భారంగా అనిపించవచ్చునేమో కానీ ఎంగేజ్‌ చేయడంలో, ఎంటర్‌టైన్‌ చేయడంలో 'రంగస్థలం' ఎంతమాత్రం డిజప్పాయింట్‌ చేయదు. ఇటీవల వచ్చిన పెద్ద సినిమాల్లో ప్రేక్షకులకి ఒక అనుభూతినిచ్చి, సంతృప్తిగా బయటకి పంపించిన అరుదైనవాటిలో ఇది ముందు వరుసలో వుంటుంది.

బాటమ్‌ లైన్‌: రీసౌండ్‌ వచ్చేట్టు అదరగొట్టిన చిట్టిబాబు!

– గణేష్‌ రావూరి

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Release date : March 30, 2018

123telugu.com Rating : 3.5/5

Starring : Ram Charan, Samantha, Aadhi Pinisetty, Jagapati Babu

Director : Sukumar

Producers : Naveen Yerneni, Y. Ravi Shankar, Mohan Cherukuri

Music Director : Devi Sri Prasad

Cinematographer: Rathnavelu

Editor : Navin Nooli

There is no doubt in saying that Rangasthalam is the most ambitious project in Ram Charan’s career. For the first time ever, he has done a village drama in the direction of Sukumar. After a huge round of promotions, the film has finally hit the screens all over. Let’s see whether it lives up to its expectations or not.

The story is set in a backward village called Rangasthalam. Chitti Babu(Charan) is a happy go lucky youth who falls in love with Laksmi(Samantha). This is also the time where the entire village is under the grip of a ruthless president(Jagapathi Babu) who creates problems for the villagers. Upset with this, Chitti Babu’s elder brother Kumar(Aadi) decides to go against the president and faces serious problems. Rest of the story is as to how Chitti Babu takes things in hand and solves all the problems of the village.

Plus Points:

Rangasthalam is Sukumar’s beautiful vision coming to light. Every inch of the film, be it the set work, the riveting drama and amazing performances, fall in place perfectly. The entire credit should go to Sukumar for thinking of something like this and pulling it off with such ease and perfection.

This film is a new chapter in the star hero’s career as Ram Charan the actor is born with this movie. Credit should go to him for accepting a role with disability and performing it to the best of his capabilities. Charan is so adorable as Chitti Babu that you fall in love with him instantly. His native slang, get up and the manner in which he unleashes his beastly side is the major asset and will be remembered for a long time to come.

Samantha is a perfect in her de-glamorized role. Sukumar showcases her in a new avatar and Samantha too gives her best as Lakshmi. Her scenes with Charan and the way she showed naughtiness and maturity in her character speaks volumes of her talent.

Jagapathi Babu is menacing as the main villain and brings a lot of depth to the film. How can one forget Aadhi Pinishetty’s superb supporting act. The way he has transformed himself and gave a settled performance is praiseworthy and holds the film together.

Anasuya as Ranagamatha is the surprise package and bowls you over with her looks and emotional performance. She has a meaty role and this film will surely be a turning point in her career as an actress.

Minus Points:

One of the basic problems of the film is its lengthy run time. Though it is not an issue for Ram Charan fans, the general audience may find it slightly difficult at times. The item song is not that great and comes as a speed breaker in the film.

After a racy and entertaining first half, post interval scenes start on a dull note without any engaging moments. As the entire film is set up in a village backdrop it may not go well with a certain section of audience as the proceedings are very rustic and showcased in a raw manner.

Technical Aspects:

One of the biggest strengths of the movie is DSP’s thumping music score. His songs are so joyful and create a festive atmosphere in the theater. But it is his background score which makes things even more gripping for the audience. The dialogues written are superb and showcase the Godavari flavor quite well.

Production design needs a special mention as the not once do you get a feeling that most of the film is shot in a set. Such is the finesse of the art direction department. The production values of Mytri are so good that the 80’s effect has been created in a spectacular way and Ratnavelu’s camera work takes things a notch higher. Editing is okay but some scenes relating to Aadi could have been trimmed in the second half.

Coming to the director Sukumar, this is undoubtedly his best work to date. Tollywood has been missing these rustic village dramas and Sukumar is bang on with his story and narration. The way he sets the plot in a rural area and showcases the politics and negativity is good. His conviction is showcased through the stellar performance of the entire star cast.

On the whole, Rangasthalam is a riveting village drama which has some electrifying moments at regular intervals. The village set up, human emotions, romance, and Ram Charan’s fantastic act as Chitti Babu win you over. The film will be a rage with the masses and the family audience will enjoy it too. If you ignore the slight lengthy run time and rustic nature, this movie kicks off summer with a bang and ends up as an entertaining watch this weekend. Go for it as earthy films like these are hardly made these days.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click here for Telugu Review

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Rangasthalam movie review: Ram Charan, Samantha Akkineni film beats the formula

Rangasthalam movie review: an oppressive village overlord, a pair of daring duo, played by ram charan and aadhi pinisetty, a charming village belle, samantha akkineni, set the mix right for a commercial film. the good news is that, for most parts, this one works..

Rangasthalam Director : Sukumar Cast : Ram Charan, Samantha Akkineni, Aadhi Pinisetty, Jagpathi Babu, Prakash Raj Rating : 3/5

A man with a God complex (played by Jagpathi Babu), addressed only as president by people, rules a small village, Rangasthalam , in the 1980s Andhra Pradesh . The people of the village are uneducated and completely under the thumb of president and his cohorts. Caught in the vicious cycle of poverty and high rate of interest charged by minions of the president, the villagers are waiting to be liberated. This, as Sukumar’s film tells us soon enough, will be done by two brothers Chitti Babu ( Ram Charan ) and Kumar Babu (Aadhi Pinisetty).

However, before the oppressed overthrow the oppressor, we will be shown how lack of education leaves villagers open to exploitation, how president’s men take advantage of simple village folk to levy high interest rates and how any voice that is raised in opposition is silenced without mercy. So far, Rangasthalam keeps it to the formula and the clichéd good vs evil story.

Read : Ram Charan and Samantha Akkineni’s Rangasthalam: 5 reasons why it is a must watch

Even in this trope, Sukumar adds his own flourishes . The villain’s God complex makes him larger than life, allowing Ram Charan’s hero to equally grow in stature too. The anticipation of the final kill, that confrontation between good and evil also keeps on building throughout Rangasthalam.

Some shots underline this further – the president’s entry shot has him being carried on a chair, with the holy thread visible clearly, sharply in contrast to the surrounding is quite similar to visarjan of any God in our country. Even the dead are expected to respect him and his residence is treated like a temple by the villagers.

The fight is not easy. The oppressor has superstition, loyalty, political power and fear on his side. Villagers have been ruled by one man for 30 years and that has resulted in blind belief that the president is above everyone else.

Kumar Babu, who has returned from Dubai, cannot stand what is happening to his village and hence stands up to the president and files nomination for the upcoming election. He has the support of his brother Chitti, giving him strength to do what others have not attempted so far. But going against the grain, Chitti is worried about his brother, in fact scared enough to doubt everyone. Usually, the lead hero, in this case Ram Charan, is the one who leads such fights. They are fearless and go against anyone who stands in their way. In Rangasthalam, however, we have Ram Charan stand arm-in-arm with onscreen brother Aadhi but at the same time fearful of his safety. This equation adds a refreshing twist to the character of the hero.

Read : Baaghi 2 movie review: Goa bears Tiger Shroff’s wrath and so do we

Cinematography by Rathnavelu has added great value to the film. The chase sequence in the night, especially when Chitti Babu is taken over by rage, is shot so well and accompanied by great background score. It adds to the drama that unfolds on screen.

At 2 hours 50 minutes, the film is long and could have been edited better, especially the dialogue between the president and Kumar Babu seems stretched.

Prakash Raj is the man who stands in the shadow throughout the film. Initially he supports Kumar Babu, and helps the brothers with the nomination. He is also the game changer in the film, who leaves us stunned in the end. Not because we don’t know where it is headed, but because of the way all of it is presented.

If one is so inclined, you could draw comparisons between the current political climate and the concepts presented in the film.

Samantha Akkineni as Rama Lakshmi is charming. It is because of Rama Lakshmi that the fight begins, making her incidental to the plot of a commercial movie. This is the first film in which Ram Charan and Samantha have worked together, and their chemistry keeps the first half of the film lighthearted.

Read : Hichki movie review: Rani Mukerji’s well-intentioned film could have been so much more

Rangamma athamma, played by Anasuya Bharadwaj, is a memorable supporting character whose equation with Chitti stands out. The film really belongs to director Sukumar who manages to take up an age-old formula and make it work with his vision.

Author tweets @Priyanka_S_MCC Follow @htshowbiz for more

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'Rangasthalam' review: Several aspects to savour

Sukumar’s ambitious film unfolding in the rural landscape of the 80s is an immersive experience.

Updated - March 30, 2018 04:16 pm IST

Published - March 30, 2018 03:16 pm IST

Samantha and Ram Charan

Rangasthalam is like a novel. In its first few pages, this fictitious dusty village of the 80s reveals itself gradually. The dialect is rooted, not a generic one that mainstream films present in a broad brushstroke for instant appeal. The story is not entirely new. A President (Jagapathi Babu), whose real name the villagers have forgotten since they’ve addressed him only by his position of power for three decades, covertly usurps land. Forged loan accounts drive gullible, uneducated farmers to despair. A slow uprising happens, bolstered by an educated man who’s returning home.

• Cast : Ram Charan, Aadhi Pinisetty and Samantha Akkineni
• Direction : Sukumar
• Music : Devi Sri Prasad

Sukumar infuses life into this story with his astute writing, and is helped by his committed technical team and actors. Rangasthalam is Sukumar’s most defining film. And, Ram Charan’s too. It marks his rise as an actor. He is wonderful as ‘sound engineer’ Chitti Babu, submitting himself to the diktats of the all-encompassing countryside.

Rathnavelu (cinematographer) bathes the village in earthy tones of brown, and the art department fills the frames with details. The wide canvas is busy. The arid landscape and the barely-there water channels tell a story. Whether it’s an adda under a tree or a marketplace where people jostle for space, there’s always something to notice in the background. The space looks lived in rather than a film set, and the knick-knacks used by people look real and worn with use, the way they should be.

The character introductions happen mirthfully, complemented by Devi Sri Prasad’s upbeat music. The sound of Rangasthalam is worth a larger discussion too. Chitti Babu ‘sees’ the drums than ‘hearing’ them. He pulls out the hearing aid which his brother Kumara Babu (Aadhi Pinisetty) buys for him because he doesn’t want the village hottie Ramalakshmi (Samantha) to know that he’s hard on hearing. Chitti’s impediment leads to fun sequences. Alongside, you know that he’ll eventually regret not using the hearing device.

As story arcs go, certain things can be sensed a mile away. You sense the impending danger when the President is antagonised and nomination papers are filed opposing him. The danger and the fear are for real. Sukumar builds on this, toys with our anticipation before the inevitable happens. The torchlight sequence in the fields at night is superbly shot.

The celebration of rustic carnivals are contrasted later by the prolonged presentation of a death. This was a trope in the late 80s and early 90s when some Tamil and Telugu films lingered on a death sequence more than necessary. This film too walks that path but you give in to the emotional manipulation because the build-up to that situation is absorbing. Despite knowing what’s round the corner, your eyes well up.

A Lagaan -like situation has brothers Kumara Babu and Chitti Babu gathering support from villagers, to stand as ward members. Just as Ashutosh Gowariker’s villagers feel Bhuvan is foolhardy to challenge British might, here too people feel it’s a dead-end route. In this film too, a rough guy who hitherto seems unapproachable turns a friend and adds muscle to the uprising. The actors who appear in different small parts are all in sync with the story. The actor who plays Chitti Babu’s aide, Naresh and Rohini, the farmers are all believable. Samantha in her not-too-glamorous and yet arresting role is a revelation. Aadhi Pinisetty shines, once again, with a measured performance. Prakash Raj makes an impact as senior politician Dakshinamurthy.

While certain characters progress as expected, there are a few surprises. Rangamma attha (Anasuya), for instance. Gradually, you realise there will be a backstory to her. Anasuya does it well, from the glamorous introduction to the transformation.

The twist in the final act is a welcome one. After all, no one wants to watch a three-hour long film that’s utterly predictable.

Pooja Hegde’s item number looks out of place in an otherwise absorbing film.

Rangasthalam is descriptive like a novel. Stay with the languid pace, for there are several aspects to savour.

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Rangasthalam movie review: Ram Charan Teja delivers a career-best performance

Rangasthalam review: ram charan has essayed the role of chitti babu with conviction. it is the best performance that he has delivered in his entire career spanning about 11 years..

Rangasthalam movie cast: Ram Charan, Samantha Akkineni, Aadhi Pinisetty, Jagapathi Babu, Prakash Raj Rangasthalam movie director: Sukumar Rangasthalam movie rating: 4 stars

Rangasthalam can be described in two words: revenge and defiance. While the revenge is at the heart of the story, defiance is its soul. Director Sukumar’s defiance, who is also the writer of the film, is on display from the very beginning of the film. He defies the very basic expectation of a film that has a commercial hero such as Ram Charan by doing away with a hero-introduction scene. The film begins with a top angle shot of showing a person, peddling his cycle as fast as he could through the mud lanes of a village and as the camera draws closer we see the side profile of Chitti Babu (Ram Charan).

As Chitti is getting closer to his destination, we see Dakshina Murthy (Prakash Raj) boarding his white Fiat. The story is set in the 1980s when Premier Padmini ruled the roads across the country. And a lorry rams into the car, launching Dakshina along with his car in the air. Dakshina is seriously injured and Chitti takes him to the hospital. Chitti is very concerned about Dakshina’s well-being and gets very emotional looking at his condition. We don’t know what is the kind of relationship they share with each other. But, we bet that it a very close one.

Sukumar takes us back in time to tell us everything that led to this moment in the story. He chases the life of the protagonist step by step and gradually develops him into a character that we begin to care about. We know Chitti has a false ego because he is hard of hearing. We know who are his family, his friends and what are his priorities. We also know about his “sound engineer” job, a euphemism for pumping water for irrigation. His daily routines and how he tries to hide his partial deafness from people who don’t know him.

In a scene, which defines the core nature of the protagonist, we get to see him hunting for a snake that once bit him. He has been on its trail for months now and he won’t be at peace until he finds it and give the punishment to it that he deems fit. Here we get a glimpse of his thirst for revenge.

When it comes to the part of defiance, Sukumar has been more clever. In Rangasthalam, people have been living in the servitude of their village President (convincingly played by Jagapati Babu). And they don’t know it. That is the thing about fascism. They have been ruled by the same authority and the same propaganda for about three decades, they’re now conditioned to accept that getting exploited by those in power is their only way of life.

When we see someone in hurry walking into the President’s house compound with his footwear on, we know that he’s breaking the rules. And he’s going to get pulled up for that. Sukumar’s writing is so good in this film that it engages the audience in every scene.

After rapidly increasing our distaste for the antagonist’s authoritarianism, Sukumar gets Chitti to crush the symbol of authority literally with a huge rock. A well-written scene that demonstrates the frustration and the willingness of the protagonist to do anything to hurt people who hurt him.

Sukumar has set the story in a contradicting backdrop. On one side, he shows Rangasthalam as a village, where people are exploited, murdered and ruled by fear. At the same time, he explores the beauty of the life around countryside making it look desirable.

Samantha Akkineni’s Ramalakshmi, a village belle, is bold, daring and at the same time compliant. A contradiction. She is shy to speak loudly her emotions for Chitti to hear. But, she plants a kiss on his lips in public when she is pushed to her limits. Samantha plays her role effortlessly. Aadhi Pinisetty, Prakash Raj, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Rohini and others add to the drama.

Ram Charan has essayed the role of Chitti Babu with conviction. It is the best performance that he has delivered in his entire career spanning about 11 years.

A couple of questions remains unanswered in the story. But, it just a tiny blip on this well-crafted canvas that is made with honesty and high regard for the audience.

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Rangasthalam Movie Review: A Generic Narrative That Isn’t Entirely Satisfying

Director: Sukumar

Cast: Ram Charan, Samantha Akkineni, Aadhi Pinisetty

Everything that some people will think is right (and others wrong) in Sukumar's Rangasthalam (Stage) can be glimpsed in the song, Ee chethi thone . It's a dirge that plays over a murder victim being prepared for a funeral. We see the body being held upright and bathed. We see the grief-stricken father being helped into his ritual clothes. We see the bier being built, the body hoisted onto it. We see people coming to pay their last respects. We see the toes being tied with string, the women wailing, the body being carried away for cremation, and at the site, we see rice being sprinkled, a dung cake being placed on the face, the pyre being lit. Are we watching a star-driven masala movie, or a documentary on the death rites of a community living on the banks of the Godavari?

But that is Sukumar's approach. Rangasthalam can stand a good half-hour trim – it runs 179 minutes – but there's a method behind the (apparent) madness. One, the film is set in the 1980s, and songs (and scenes, and running times) of this sort weren't uncommon then. And two, Sukumar wants to immerse us in this milieu, in the lives of these people. His lingering on (sometimes excruciating) detail helps elevate a routine story about a village ruled by a tyrant known as "President" (Jagapati Babu, whose screen presence says a lot with very few lines). He has held the post, unopposed, for three decades. As someone says, "For 30 years, this village has seen the same play… There's no hero, only a villain." No one dares to walk past President's house with their slippers on. He returns the favour by usurping their land and crops under the pretext of unpaid loans.

Rangasthalam can stand a good half-hour trim – it runs 179 minutes – but there's a method behind the (apparent) madness.  

In short, we are in the feudal realm of Benegal's Ankur and Nishant – or to recall a more commercial variant, something like Mana Voori Pandavulu . But here's the twist. It's not the loud, uneducated hero – Chittibabu (a forceful Ram Charan) – but his soft-spoken, Dubai-returned brother (Kumar, played by a deliberately un forceful Aadhi Pinisetty) who seeks to change the status quo. Sukumar plays a clever game with this "mass"/ "class" mix of siblings. He makes a movie about a morally uplifting social uprising. He also makes a movie about carefully nurtured vigilante justice. This is the kind of "political" film where Kumar goes around the village, beseeching people to support his candidacy for President. It's also the kind of "personal" drama where Chittibabu, early on, vows to crush a cobra that's bitten him, and then we discover the President's real name is that of the king of snakes. It's a great punch moment.

Also Read: Ramakrishna and Monika on the challenges of being production designers of Rangasthalam

The punch moments arise organically from the screenplay. They aren't just… punch moments, a shot or a line set up simply to get the pulse pounding at regular intervals. Take the hero-introduction scene – it's neither heroic, nor much of an "introduction". We're plunged into the middle of the story, with Chittibabu watching helplessly as a man is nearly killed. The hero seems resigned to his unheroic-ness – he's even hearing-impaired. In the first song, he cheerfully sings: "We are all toys and puppets." The villagers, like him, are resigned to their plight. But wait. Did I just say that the hearing-impaired hero sings , perfectly in tune? That's just one of the many gleeful absurdities of the genre, like the item song (with a wan Pooja Hegde) that erupts one second after Chittibabu's girlfriend, Ramalakshmi ( Samantha ), defies her father and moves in with his family.

The punch moments arise organically from the screenplay. They aren't just… punch moments, a shot or a line set up simply to get the pulse pounding at regular intervals.  

Sukumar keeps tinkering away at his broad (and rather generic) narrative, if not subverting our expectations then certainly reshaping them. You think Chittibabu will, at some point, lead the uprising, but he spends all his time tending to an ailing politician ( Prakash Raj ), swabbing his body and changing his urine bags. You think you know who's behind the attack on Kumar, but… This may be the only masala movie – I certainly can't think of another – where the villain's death occurs in a flashback . And then, there's another twist. The unhurried pace allows these revelations to function as more than mere cliff-hangers. They keep building towards the final explosion. We see the last few scenes, and then we see why we needed that earlier stretch where Chittibabu imagines there are assassins everywhere. At least for this genre, things are reasonably… realistic .

And yet, Rangasthalam isn't an entirely satisfying experience. The hero's hearing impairment isn't used very well. At first, it's just for comic effect, mainly in the romantic portions. There's a very funny scene where Chittibabu creates a ruckus in Ramalakshmi's house, and elsewhere, he keeps nudging her in the ribs to make her talk louder. He refuses to wear a hearing aid because he doesn't want everyone to know about his condition (though everyone does ) – and we need to feel socked in the gut when he finally decides to wear one. The bigness of these emotions – a scene with Rangamma's (Anasuya) gift of a watch, a suicidal man telling Chittibabu he is lucky he cannot listen to their troubles – is in the script, but not on the screen, where we can feel them.

But even if it isn't always involving, Rangasthalam is certainly an interesting film. Look at how even the hero's proposal to the heroine colours the "it takes a village" aspect of the story. Chittibabu doesn't say, "Come with me if you love me." He knows her father is opposed to Kumar's idealism, and he knows he has to stand by Kumar. So he tells her, "Come with me if you love me as much as I love my brother." His love for her is implicit. (We've already seen it, sensed it.) But this is something bigger, and he wants to make sure she's up to it. Usually, in hero-driven vehicles, we'd come away happy with Rathnavelu's colour-drenched cinematography (the night scenes look like oil paintings), a few peppily choreographed Devi Sri Prasad songs, some laughs, some fights. But Sukumar works with a larger vision, and does something unexpected in this most hodgepodge of genres: he leaves behind his fingerprints.

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Rangasthalam movie review: Ram Charan, Samantha and ensemble cast shine in Sukumar's gritty film

Rangasthalam mirrors the brutal truth about politics in a village, and goes far beyond the cliches of lush green landscapes and happy lives that has come to define village-based dramas.

Towards the end of Rangasthalam , when Ram Charan accomplishes his mission, the titles roll in a jiffy leaving you glued to your seats as you try to process the explosive finale. Few minutes later, when you walk out of the theatre, your mind goes on an overdrive to find the right words to express your feelings: it’s been a while since we’ve seen such a raw and gritty film in Telugu cinema. Adjectives don’t do enough justice to what Rangasthalam manages to achieve in the end.

It made me wonder — 1) what makes a film great? 2) do you really know that a film is great while watching it? Perhaps, the answer lies in the details.

It would be a crime to brush aside Rangasthalam ’s story as old wine in a new bottle. The trajectory of its characters might seem familiar, but this is a canvas where every character is real and emotional. While desperation and fear dictates the lives of most people, others are driven by greed and a thirst for power. Rangasthalam mirrors the brutal truth about politics in a village, and goes far beyond the cliches of lush green landscapes and happy lives that has come to define village-based dramas.

The story unfolds in the 1980s in a village, Rangasthalam, which is on the banks of Godavari. Among the many colourful characters who live here, the most interesting of them all is Chitti Babu (played by Ram Charan), whose hearing impairment earns him a nickname - ‘Sound Engineer’. He falls in love with Ramalakshmi (Samantha), who reciprocates his feelings. Chitti Babu’s elder brother Kumar Babu (Aadhi) is a well-educated young man who wants to something good for his village, which is under its president’s (Jagapathi Babu) control for almost 30 years.

Then, there’s Rangammatta (Anasuya), Chitti Babu’s aunt, who is awaiting her husband’s return from Dubai. Beyond the veneer of a normal village life, there’s tension simmering between the oppressed and rulers. And soon, it reaches a boiling point, which changes everything.

Sukumar takes plenty of time to familiarise us with all the characters in the film. Although it feels languid at times, it’s also a deliberate move to take us deep into the lives of the characters. When Chitti Babu first makes his entry into the story, he comes across as a simpleton who’s happy in his own world. But the more you get to know him, you begin to see how layered his personality is. His temperament, devil-may-care attitude, defines him as the story unfolds. And he becomes the epitome of rebelliousness that is used as a constant undercurrent throughout the story.

The same goes for Ramalakshmi, who’s playful and innocent at first, but her real strength becomes evident when she becomes aware of Chitti Babu’s true personality. In Kumar Babu, Rangasthalam finds its emotional anchor because he’s positioned as a voice of reason. In Rangammatta, we begin to see the dark secrets that people refuse to address until they have an emotional outburst. And even more terrifying is Jagapathi Babu, whose portrayal of the village president is spot on. His power is absolute and he knows that no one will ever dare to question him.

The film wouldn’t be what it is without its performances from the ensemble cast. Sukumar is known for his ability to redefine an actor’s image, but what he does with Ram Charan has to be seen to be believed. For the first time in a long long time, Ram Charan has shed his stardom to truly embody the spirit of the role he’s playing, and in doing so, he has not just outdone himself but also proved that there’s a lot of untapped potential in him that’s waiting to be discovered. That it took almost a decade to find his voice is a surprise, but there couldn’t have been a better film to make a solid case that he’s an actor who’s full of surprises.

For Samantha, Rangasthalam turns into an playground where she brims with joy and verve that goes beyond the usual cliches. Along with Ram Charan, Samantha gets some of the best lines in the film and if you had any doubts about the sizzling chemistry between the two, watch out for that scene where both of them propose to each other. Aadhi is terrific in his role as a do-gooder, and Anasuya is a surprise addition to this terrific ensemble. She slips into her role quite effortlessly and makes quite a solid impression. After Nannaku Prematho , Jagapathi Babu finds himself in yet another role in a Sukumar’s film where his mere presence is enough to terrify others.

Apart from Sukumar’s writing, it’s impossible to ignore the technical brilliance of cinematographer Ratnavelu, whose paints Rangasthalam in earthy colours and wide angles while capturing the life in a village, which feels too small in the midst of its politics. Devi Sri Prasad’s music and Chandrabose’s lyrics deserve a special mention in terms of how well they capture the emotions.

Over the years, there’s been a fair share of criticism about Sukumar’s work — that it has become inaccessible to certain sections of the audience. While he has always focused on how twisted the lives of people are, he comes across as a different, perhaps a more refined, storyteller in Rangasthalam . To narrate a political drama is one thing, but to create such an universe within the parameters of a revenge drama is sheer brilliance. The more you dig into Rangasthalam , the more rewarding it is.

So, what makes a film great? Perhaps, it’s the after taste of the experience. The film is nearly three hours long, but there’s something about it that’s both visceral and sublime. It made me want to relive the experience all over again. Some would say that there has been a chasm between what Sukumar & Ram Charan have been wanting to do over the years and how it was received by the audience. Now, after all these years, Rangasthalam bridges the gap. In Ram Charan we find a brand new actor, and in Sukumar we find a master storyteller who is relentless in his approach to push himself.

Go watch Rangasthalam . It might take a while to warm up to it, but once you do, it’ll take your breath away.

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