Falaknuma Das - Movie Review

Telugu Film Industry (TFI) has suddenly seen a spurt in small-ticket Indie movies. From Vishwak Sen’s Hangover style, ‘Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi’, to the latest ‘Mallesham’ (which I missed watching in the theatres), TFI seems to be experimenting with its content, which is a welcome change. After watching Falaknuma Das, I checked its Wikipedia page to be pleasantly surprised that it is apparently a remake of the critically acclaimed Malayalam hit, Angamaly Diaries (another movie on top of my watchlist). I am not sure how close is Falaknuma Das to its original, because I felt it was not sure of its intent and faltered in conveying the message.

The movie is set in the culturally-rich by-lanes of the old city in Hyderabad. Amidst the aromas of biriyanis and payas, a bunch of kids inspired by the local goon Shankar Anna, form their own ‘gang’. As a school-going Das (Vishwak Sen) proclaims to his friend,” Manani kotte poradu ee Falaknuma lo ne ledu”, a wrong sense of pride, valour and aggression sets in these young minds. They grow up to become small-time goons, often resorting to petty fights and brawls. As they age to their late twenties (the movie transitions between 1997 and 2009), over a couple of love affairs, they get embroiled in a gang war which implicates them in a murder. The rest of the story focusses on how they get out of this mess.

From the trailer itself, it was clear that the movie aims at being real and true to the area it is set in – Falaknuma. The camerawork by Vidya Sagar Chinta succeeds in creating a haunting yet beautiful milieu, capturing the chaos and flavours of the old city, right from the montage shots in the opening credits. I really liked the way the festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi and Bonalu were shot, not to forget the drool-worthy shots of food from Shadaab to Ram Ki Bandi. The writing by Vishwak Sen also adds to the authenticity, with the usage of typical Hyderabadi language and accent. Though I felt the dialogues and diction of the actor playing Das’s mother were not authentic. But, nonetheless, it felt good to see an authentic Hyderabadi movie after a long time, the last of which I remember was Nagesh Kukunoor’s ‘Hyderabad Blues’ (Not considering sub-standard movies such as ‘Hyderabad Nawabs’ and ‘Angrez’). The music by Vivek Sagar, including a Hyderabadi rap, blends well with the theme and so does the wonderful art direction, creating authentic households of the old city.

While the movie is strong in terms of technical details, it did not connect with me emotionally. I go back to what I said initially – it was not sure of its intent and faltered in conveying the message. The movie begins with a tone of brawn winning over brain, where school-going kids take fancy to the rough and rugged goons. There are many children who take this route and turn into hyper-masculine men when they grow up, which is a fair depiction. But, the movie tends to oscillate between the story of a bunch of alcohol-loving vagabonds to a gang-war like story, including a murder. Also, the movie made me ponder over the age-old inconclusive ‘nature vs nurture’ debate. Do young minds get infatuated by brawn over brain and turn into toxic humans, who prefer their physical might over their intelligence? It is noteworthy how this has been subtly pushed into the narrative, by showing the transition of young kids into a brawling brood of men.

The romantic angles also do not add much weight, especially the one involving Saloni Mishra as Dr. Zoya. If Taxiwala showed us a much-contrived love story between a taxi driver and a medico, Falaknuma Das shows a smart doctor falling for a small-time goon. Even if they knew each other from their childhood, the equation seems forced and farcical. An interesting observation is that Das is ill-tempered, male-chauvinist and passes snide comments against his girlfriend, but he does not come across as a misogynist. With all the talk about toxic masculinity and misogyny lately, the one scene where he breaks-up with Sakhi (Harshita Gaur) shows his humane side too. As I said, the movie remains on the surface, oscillating between various themes, not helping the audience connect with the point it is trying to make.

As for the performances, director-actor Vishwak Sen gives a great performance as the Hyderabadi lad, trying to start a business while getting into brawls on the sly. His gang of friends have funny banter, but somehow the camaraderie does not liven the screens like it does in Pellichoopulu or Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi. There are few scenes of fun, especially the opening scene in a bar, where Sonu Shanawaz as Filament stands out. Among the rest of the cast, Uttej shows his experience as an actor and makes a mark. Director Tharun Bhascker Dhaasyam leaves an impactful impression as the upright cop. The girls do not get enough screen-time or material and their over-the-top make-up and appearance make them stand out amongst the other real-like characters.

Honestly, I had higher expectations from the film and it left me mildly disappointed. It is a great stride in TFI towards off-beat stories, but somewhere it falls short. Yet, for a young actor to turn director for such a risky film deserves an applause.

My Rating – 2.5/5