Short films, thanks to YouTube are a boon to aspiring directors. They give a glimpse into the director’s abilities and act as a sort of business card when he or she meets prospective producers. Some lucky ones have been summoned by producers, encouraged by the number of ‘hits’ and impressed with what they saw.
It all started with a Tamil channel which promised the winner of a short film contest a chance to direct a feature film.
That threw up a flock of young directors like Karthick Subburaj and Nalan Kumaraswamy, bursting with fresh ideas and hungry for opportunities. In Kannada too, Giriraj’s Naviladhavaru fetched him his first feature. Now it’s not as easy as it appears.
There’s a sifting process or creative filtering. Many have failed to make the transition because mainstream cinema is a different ball-game with a gamut of expectations to be fulfilled, from the producer to, last but not the least, the paying public.
Telugu cinema has always had an eclectic group of filmmakers, from those who specialise in tailor-made scripts to satiate fans of stars to the gentle, sane stories told by K Vishwanath and Bapu and some like Jandhyala who specialised in comic capers. I was reminded of the latter while watching Pelli Choopulu . Unlike films boasting of marquee names, small ones starring relative newcomers rely on their trailers going viral and a positive word of mouth review after the release. Good news takes time to travel but when it does it can prise out even those most disheartened by the quality of contemporary cinema from the confines of their living rooms.
A welcome blessing for the team was that Suresh Productions, the prestigious production house loved the film and bought it which created a positive flutter in the trade. How often does a producer heap praise and recommend a film not produced under his banner? Ravi Kishore, a passionate cineaste first and producer of popular films like Nenu Shailaja insisted I watch Pelli Choopulu . “It’s one of the best made films in recent times,” he said adding that nothing can beat good content.
I was more impressed with Tarun Bhasker’s short film, Synema (rural slang for cinema) than Anukokunda which did the festival circuit and seems to have sown the seed for Pelli Choopulu . In fact it’s an amalgam of both. Synema is about an idle youth who owns a dilapidated theatre and wants to marry his cousin.
He accidentally becomes film editor when he prunes a boring film to a presentable length and turns it into a hit. It’s ironical because the guys running projectors in theatres have always been known to edit films prudently if there’s a drop in collections since they gauge the audience pulse, first hand. Digital technology has deterred them now.
Anukokunda is about a girl who inadvertently encounters her love during a game of truth and dare and how a talk show unites them. Tarun relies on a moment of epiphany, intertwines it with the designs of fate and the result is Pelli Choopulu . I was reminded of the films of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee, especially Chit Chor . That’s a compliment for a contemporary filmmaker. The film is not intended as a comedy. It’s more a series of pleasant happenstances.
A boy who just wants to marry into a rich family and a girl passionate to pursue her ambitions is itself a cinematic anomaly but works because of the convincing characterisation. It’s not about what’s going to happen. That’s predictable but Tarun scores in staging the events leading to it in a refreshing manner. There’s an old world charm about the film because Pelli Choopulu or the ritual of visiting and selecting a bride itself is uncommon these days. It’s also a bit unconvincing that someone who wants to live off the interest that a hefty dowry will fetch is even looked upon as a prospective groom but hey, we’ve seen more bizarre things on-screen.
A couple of initial scenes are enough to ensure you that your money is not going waste. The casual exchange amongst a family cramped in a claustrophobic car is not easy to shoot but Tarun pulls it off with aplomb. You sink into your seat realising you’re in safe hands. You’ll either be grinning sheepishly or laughing out loud at what follows. The director’s triumph lies in the fact that every character is relatable. They’re endearing enough for you to wish you’d encounter them.
Tarun’s strength lies in the dialogues written and delivered casually. He loves the Telangana twang and Priyadarshi who plays the hero’s pal with a deadpan expression and immaculate timing will have you in splits.
There are no bad guys. The lead pair doesn’t break into a song and dance routine at inopportune moments.
The photography is just perfunctory and captures the pleasant proceedings while the music is refreshing.
Every single actor is outstanding in their respective roles however brief they may be.
Ultimately the success of the film reiterates the fact that cinema is a director’s medium and stars are mere puppets.
Don’t miss the film if you understand Telugu because subtitles will not do justice to the delectable lines. I’m trying to find out who’s bidding for the Kannada remake rights.
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