Rangasthalam - Movie Review

It is difficult to review a film which puts me in a grey spot – I like it, but I don’t like it. Directed by Sukumar and set somewhere in the 1980s Ubhaya Godavari jillas, ‘Rangasthalam’, is a good concept at the outset. Starring Ram Charan and Samantha as the leads, the movie takes the backdrop of the atrocities committed by feudal lords in the pre-reforms era. While the makers have a good intent, sadly, the urge to include unnecessary commercial elements dampens the film.

The partially deaf protagonist, Chittibabu (played surprisingly well by Ram Charan), is the go-to guy for the village – he sets up motors to pump in water, helps people catch snakes and does odd jobs in the village of Rangasthalam. Due to the sad turn of the events, Chittibabu’s Dubai-returned brother, Kumar (played by Aadi Pinisetty) challenges the feudal lord and President of Rangasthalam Panchayat for 30 years, Phaneendra Bhoopati aka President Garu (played by Jagapathi Babu). As one may expect, the powerful incumbent tries by all his means to stop Kumar or get him killed. This is where a poorly scripted and hugely contrived climax comes in (the worst possible plot!). To provide the romantic angle, Ramalakshmi (played by Samantha) is brought in and to add a dash of sultriness, we have Rangamatta (played by Anusuya) flaunting her curves.

The biggest problem lies in its length – at 3 hours, it seems way too long (this is sort of becoming my most common problem with Telugu movies). Adding songs unnecessarily, which do not help the narrative is another major problem. Just to add mass appeal, you have a terrible item song by Pooja Hegde, where she looks anorexic and nothing like the voluptuous girls of the yesteryears (Silk Smitha, anyone?). In my review of Padmaavat, I had talked about using different styles of narration to cut down on the run time (you can read that here). There are so many sequences and sub-plots in this movie where they could have used alternate narratives and reduced the run time. It is not a good sign if the viewers looks for a remote to fast-forward the movie! My last major issue was with the over-the-top melodrama! Emotions can be evoked even with subtlety, and I particularly did not like the funeral sequence in the movie.

Having said that, Rangasthalam definitely deserves to be watched for its ensemble cast and their performances. Standing out and carrying the film on his shoulders, Ram Charan delivers a stunning performance. From being as expressive as a log of wood, he has come a long way. I even felt glimpses of Pawan Kalyan and Chiranjeevi in his emotional scenes. Samantha has a less meaty role, but plays well with her expressions and eyes. There was potential for her character to be meatier though. (let me warn you, I am biased towards her -_- ) Jagapathi Babu, apart from a great physique and the salt-and-pepper look, is fantastic as the baddie – he has very few dialogues but leaves an impact with his performance. Aadi and Anusuya provide good support and fit their roles well. Others in the ensemble provide good support and look authentic – a special mention to the cinematographers and the costumes team for this.

While the length may bore you, the performances may still make you stay till the end.

My rating – 2.5/5