Prasthanam Movie Review

Behind the Movie Prasthanam: Deva Katta and Sharwanand is an idealistic combination which has every chance of striking the right chord with audience and they have proved it with romantic thriller ‘Vennela.’ After a long gap, where in Sharwanand has made his strong mark in the industry with ‘Gamyam,’ this prosperous combination arrived with a movie of their own kind ‘Prasthanam.’ Let us see, where was their ‘Prasthanam’ heading for?

In the Movie Prasthanam: Peddaayana (Balaiah) is a powerful politician in the village of Maanikonda in Krishna District. His son Keshava (Ravi Prakash) has good following among masses but unfortunately gets killed by the political rivals. In a turn around of events, Keshava’s friend and follower Lokanatham Naidu or Loki (Sai Kumar), an active politician in their circle takes up his friend’s position. Loki even marries Keshava’s widow wife Savitri, who already had a son and daughter.

As time passes on their family moves to Vijayawada and Loki becomes four times MLA of his Assembly. Kids grow up to become Mitra (Sharwanand) and her sister (Surekha Vani). Loki in his married life becomes a real father to Chinna (Sundeep Kishan). While Mitra grows up in the foot steps of Loki to become a good politician and treated as successor to Loki, Chinna grows up with jealous on Mitra and turns into a psycho.

When the time for Loki’s fifth Assembly elections come up, his rivals Baasi Reddy (Jeeva) and Bangaru Naidu (Jaya Prakash Reddy) etch out a plot to kill Loki but fail in the hands of Mitra. In this mean time, Chinna and his friends gang rape and kill Reshma (Reshma), who is the daughter of Loki’s old servant and party worker Bhaasha (Chakravakam fame Wilson). Firing with vengeance, psycho Chinna even kills Mitra’s sister and her husband.

Worried more about his political future, Loki join the hands with Baasi Reddy and Bangaru Naidu to eliminate Bhaasha and Mitra in order to save his psycho son Chinna. What happens later on? Did Bhaasha eliminate Chinna? Who was it really killed Keshava? Is Loki, really a gentleman? All these form part of the most thrilling climax.

Values of the Movie Prasthanam: It’s a mammoth story line from Deva Katta with plenty of characters and each having their own identity. None of the characters in the movie will be felt worthless (Except heroine Ruby Parihar). All of them well form a part of story help in thrilling narration. Screen Play was like a tight rope and the vibrations will be seen in every character. Even though movie was a bit lengthy one, but thanks to some extra ordinary work of Deva Katta. First thing that needs to be highlighted is the dialogues penned by Deva Katta which are not just powerful and striking hard on your face, even he offered a philosophical touch. Camera work was first class and Shyam Dutt needs applause. Music by Mahesh Shankar was average for songs but back ground was enthralling. Editing wise, perfect at few spots but was a blunder in many situations with sharp cuts (Especially during the rape/gang rape of Reshma). Production values of VRC and Vallabhaneni Ravi Chowdary are okay.

Performance wise, Sai Kumar offered a touch of elegance to the entire movie. The level of maturity to be shown in the character of Loki has matched his standards. Other than Sai Kumar, no one could be dreamed as Loki. Sharwanand was little underplaying in first half but second half he was powerful and lives to his potential. Surprise package of movie is Sundeep Kishan as a psycho. Fresh, teenage looks mixed with psycho confusions offered by this young man have left a deep impact on audience. Jeeva was regular to the role while Jayaprakash Reddy’s character entertained the audience with non stop laughs. If Vennela Kishore failed, ‘Chakravakam’ Wilson, Reshma, Surekha Vani, Madhu were rightly caste.

Out of the Movie Prasthanam: Life of human being is a mixed bag of good and bad. Some times, good dominates bad and other times vice versa. How will human beings be able to over come these good and bad in their lives is all make their journey (Prasthanam). Adding the shades of political, rowdism, family sentiments to the above said ‘Jeevana Sathyam’ is this movie ‘Prasthanam.’ Enormous hard work and deep research done on each and every character by Deva Katta has resulted in this intense character drama. Strictly speaking, ‘Prasthanam’ is more about practical human nature which is the soul for this movie. First half goes on a lighter mode passing on the right signals of drama becoming more intense in second half. With in the first few minutes of second half, the emotion and intensity in the movie reaches peak. Biggest challenge for Deva Katta in ‘Prasthanam’ is sustaining this intensity till end and he was 100% successful in achieving it. If Deva Katta’s dialogues, tight screen play, novel story line, actors performances are positives for the movie; missing of elements for family audience and masses, songs coming as breakwaters, length of the movie and blunders in re-recording and editing (few places) are few negatives. All those audience who wait for novel themes will like this ‘Prasthanam.’ A flavor of Krishna district politics, Ramgopal Varma’s ‘Sarkar’ and ‘Gaayam’ and Bollywood’s ‘Maqbool’ are seen in this ‘Prasthanam.’  

In this Journey (Prasthanam) of Telugu Cinema World, movies like ‘Prasthanam’ needs to be saved from becoming failures because success of these kind of movies will help in many more purposeful movies to roll out.

Cinejosh Verdict of the Movie Prasthanam: An intense movie with powerful human emotions. Movie made of soul.


                                                                                                                                 Reviewed by Srivaas

(Srivaas can be reached at srivaasreviews@gmail.com)