The real DEAL

A slew of releases promise mint-fresh storylines and non-escapist dramas.

Sundeep Kishan in a still from 'DK Bose'

Small and medium-budget films lined up for release over the next few weeks promise to be a breath of fresh air for movie enthusiasts tired of formulaic, run-on-the-mill entertainers. From a period drama to a fantasy adventure saga, there’s a lot in store. Here’s a closer look at some of these films.

Kaalicharan

At first glance, the unruly mop of hair on the lead actor Chaitanya Krishna reminds us of the Tamil film

Subramaniapuram . Directed by Sai Prawin,

Kaalicharan is set in 1983, is rustic and is a tale of revenge and bloodbath. The promo of the film caught the attention of Anurag Kashyap who tweeted about the film. Tamil actress Chandni is the heroine and Bhojpuri actor Pankaj Kesri is the anti-hero of this period drama that will trace the emotional journey of its lead characters in a real, non-glossy setting. Cinematography is by Vishwa Devabattula.

Alias Janaki

Produced by Neelima Tirumalasetty and directed by newcomer Dayaa, an associate of Pawan Kalyan, this action-romance is backed by lilting music by debut composer Shravan. The overwhelming response to the music has already helped Alias Janaki get huge word-of-mouth publicity. The cast and crew include many newcomers who’ve earlier been part of short films. Starring Rahul Venkat and Anisha Ambrose, the film is expected in the first week of July. Debutant brothers Sujith Sarang and Sreejith Sarang do the honours for cinematography and editing respectively.

Sahasam

Gopichand and Taapsee Pannu are recognisable names, so why do we have their film listed here? The film comes from director Chandrasekhar Yeleti, who gave us Aithe, Anukokunda Oka Roju and Prayanam that didn’t play by the formulaic rule. Sahasam is a tale of adventure, romance and fantasy tracing one man’s quest from Andhra Pradesh to Pakistan to regain a lost inheritance. To top it all, there’s Shakti Kapoor as the antagonist.

DK Bose

This Bose is a corrupt cop with attitude to boot. Reminds you of Dabangg ? Erase all such thoughts and look out for this stylish flick from producers Anand Ranga and Seshu Reddy and director A.N. Bose. Sundeep Kishan is the corrupt cop who woos Nisha Aggarwal and plays by his own rules. In this script-driven saga, A.N. Bose explores emotional upheavals in the life of a cop and tries to find out what makes a few cops turn ruthless and corrupt. Music by Acchu is an asset.

Bangaru Kodipetta

Written and directed by Raj Pippalla and produced by Sunita Tati, Bangaaru Kodipetta unfolds during the Sankranti festival. Navdeep and Swati lead this romance-adventure that has its share of rooster fights and human drama. Music is by Mahesh Shankar and cinematography by Sahir Raza. The first few promos of the film, with smartly written comic strips, piqued the interest of avid filmgoers.

Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha

Indraganti Mohan Krishna has previously given us endearing films like Ashta Chemma and Golconda High School , inspired by literary works. Anthaka Mundu Aa Tarvatha has his original screenplay. With newcomers Eesha and Sumant Ashwin, Indraganti wants to tell us about relationships as they exist — the little skirmishes, understanding and strengthening of bonds. Don’t expect flaky romance.