Film: Amrutaramam
Rating: 1.5/5
Banner: Padmaja Films
Cast: Ram Mittakanti, Amita Ranganath, Srijith Gangadharin, JD Cherukuru etc
Editing: Karthik Srinivas
Music: NS Prasu
Camera: Santhosh Sanamoni
Producer: SN Reddy
Story, Screenplay, Dialogues, Direction: Surender Kontaddi
Release Date: April 29, 2020 (ZEE5 INDIA)
It has been more than a month that the cinema theatres are closed. There is no clarity on when they will be opened as well. There are also mixed opinions in the matter of patronage of audience to theatres like before.
In this background many of the small producers are planning to release their films directly on OTT. Only the big producers who have financial muscle are withstanding the calamity.
The first Telugu film that's directly released on OTT in this lockdown time is Amrutaramam. Let us see the ins and outs of it.
The director has made an attempt to narrate a convincing love story. Love is not living for one another it is all about living one in other. This is the point that the director wanted to convey. But it takes a lot of exercise to make audience travel with such kind of story. When that doesn't happen no one bothers whatever may happen to such pair on screen.
What will a girl do for her love interest? To what extent she can go to express her love? This is portrayed in this film but why the girl is loving the protagonist is not established emotionally. Rather, it ended up as a silly stuff.
The hero in this film keeps on talking some meaningless philosophy and behaves differently. The audience fail to see any appealing feature in the hero to connect to heroine's love for him.
Why Amruta (Amitha) likes Ram (Ram) is a million dollar question. He is not someone with sterling qualities. She says it is ok for him if he is without job. She says sorry to him though the mistake lies on his side. She makes noise if he talks to anyone else. She offers him the liquor as he likes it. Why should she love him so unconditionally? No one knows.
Well, we may expect that Ram will accept the love of Amruta. But he will not. He asks her to get away from his life. Why should he do so when she is taking care of him in such a way? The film keeps audience in confusion with erratic characterizations.
Keeping this emotionless non-feel-good love track aside, a person moves on Sydney roads wearing white dhotis, gold jewelry and holding knives in hand. He gives loans to Telugu youngsters keeping their passports with him. How the makers could venture to incorporate this kind of track in Australian backdrop. All the supporting actors in Australian episode seem to be the local non-actors as they delivered dialogues with blank expressions.
It is better to talk as less as possible about the lead actor Ram. Amitha Ranganath could deliver the emotions with her expressions. The credit should be given to her dubbing artiste as well. Nothing to discuss about technical aspects. Chinmayi's song sounds good in the opening lines.
The director attempted to make an emotional love story but finally it delivered frustration. The best part of OTT is one can watch the film taking as many intervals as possible or else conveniently skip.
Bottomline: Amrutha BHAARAM