8 Vasantalu, produced by Mythri Movie Makers, was released in theatres today. TFN reviews the movie.
Story:
The story spans eight years, starting in 2013. Shuddhi Ayodhya (Ananthika), a writer by profession and a martial arts practitioner, develops feelings of love for Varun (Hanu Reddy), who is smitten by her from the word go. Just when she starts dreaming about a life full of joy with him, a drastic move by Varun leaves her heartbroken.
In a parallel track, Shuddhi’s childhood bestie (Kanna Pasunoori) aspires to become a shoe designer and has daddy issues. When he faces his own setbacks, Shuddhi must offer a shoulder to cry on. The rest of the film is about what Shuddhi is destined for.
Analysis:
From the beginning, 8 Vasantalu has been touted to be a coming-of-age romance-drama that unfolds over a period of 8 years. “Love is only a phase in life. It’s not the purpose of life.” This is the essence the film tries to convey through a series of incidents and back stories. While the period is almost a decade, the landscapes are as different as Ooty, Varanasi and Kashmir.
Ananthika Sanilkumar‘s emotional performance is the soul of the film. The 19-year-old actress exceeds expectations by internalizing the crux of the story. She doesn’t let the material overwhelm her anywhere. Hanu Reddy shows potential as a sincere performer who are is intimidated by the rare quality of the scenes he is in. Ravi Duggirala, Kanna Pasunoori, and others are satisfying.
Writer-director Phanindra Narsetti has always preferred artistic narration over commercial values. His Manu, released in 2018, was like an unending stream that was best experienced at a stretch without distractions. Since his first independent movie, Madhuram, Phanindra has stayed true to his creative, artistic roots. Producers Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar of Mythri Movie Makers back his vision this time. The director’s vision receives immense help from cinematographer Vishwanath Reddy. Editor Shashank Mali’s work adds to the smoothness.
Hesham Abdul Wahab’s tunes are vividly lilting. Andhamaa Andhamaa and Parichayamila are apt. The former soaks into the beauty of the autum-time Kashmir. The latter, rendered by KS Chithra, is an ode to the heroine’s characterization.
Talking of specific highlights, the storyline is quite distinctive. It’s the kind you will remember even after a decade—the kind that was strong enough to carry the movie through a neat pre-interval stretch, pre-climax, and climax. Phanindra’s dialogues are thoughtful. He has defended himself against those who feel his lines are verbose, deploying uncorrupted Telugu through and through. Some of the lines feel all the more refreshing when Ananthika (who didn’t dub her lines) and Hanu mouth them.
Highlights:
1. The storyline.
2. The 20-minute stretch before the interval.
3. The final 25 minutes.
4. Dialogues about dignity of labour, and self-respect.
5. K Viswanath-style of portrayal of the teacher-disciple relationship.
Verdict:
8 Vasantalu is a soul-stirring romance-drama. Phanindra Narsetti’s artistic vision, coupled with Ananthika Sanilkumar’s exceptional performance, creates a compelling narrative spanning eight years.
