Ramam Raghavam marks the directorial debut of comedian Dhanraj. He handles a melodramatic subject with his debut. Here is our review of the movie:
Story:
Dasaratha Ramam (Samuthirakani) is heartbroken when he discovers that his wayward son Raghava (Dhanraj) has turned vile, putting his reputation at stake. All his life, Ramam has been known for his impeccable integrity as a government official. His image now lies in tatters after a forgery scam pulled off by the homegrown enemy. Just when Ramam pushes his son to reform himself, the latter gets worse. Raghava bares his fangs and comes out with a macabre plan.
Analysis:
Comedian Dhanraj, the former colleague of comedian Venu Yeldandi, handles a relationship drama. While Venu’s Balagam was a heavy subject about mortality and the theme of death, Ramam Raghavam is more of a father-son drama where the lines are vividly drawn. The father is infallible, while the son is the polar opposite. Instead of opting for a crime thriller or a violent actioner in keeping with the spirit of the times, Dhanraj revisits the theme of unconditional parental love.
The drama turns tense and heart-rending in the last 20 minutes. While the characterizations are not out of the ordinary, the nature of the climax is engaging. It would have been way more poignant had a key character’s turnaround looked evolutionary rather than a sixer.
Samuthirakani and Dhanraj look like a real-like father-son duo in most of the scenes. While the latter doesn’t get to speak lengthy lines in his onscreen father’s presence, he emotes with his eyes and facial expressions. Pramodhini plays Dhanraj’s mother. Harish Uthaman, as a lorry driver, has an important part in the second half. Comedian Sathya is not deployed for a forced comedy track.
On the technical front, the film scores decent marks. Arun Chiluveru’s music is largely apt. The cinematography is good too.
Verdict:
Ramam Raghavam is a throwback to the family dramas of a certain era. It toys with time-tested ideas like unadulterated parental love. The dramatic plot-turns are fairly well-executed.
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