Yashoda: Will the film prove to be a Kahaani for Samantha's career?

There's so much drama that a storyteller can create if his protagonist is a pregnant woman - there's abundant scope for layered storytelling, a potpourri of emotions and a strong performance. What better example than Vidya Balan's gamechanger Kahaani to suggest this? However, creating such a character alone isn't enough to strike a chord with audiences; it's important that the message conveyed through the character is relevant and not hammered on the viewer's head with over-the-top melodrama. 

Though Kahaani was remade in Telugu as Avanthika by Sekhar Kammula later, it didn't manage to create the intended impact. However, Samantha's Yashoda promises to fill that void in Telugu cinema. The actress is in one of the best phases of her career and is enjoying the liberty to perform in a wide variety of roles without worrying about her image. The same actress is part of projects like The Family Man 2, Yashoda, Shaakuntalam and Kushi - stories that are as different as chalk and cheese. 

The most popular film on surrogacy in Telugu cinema is undoubtedly Soundarya and Vikram's 9 Nelalu. However, it didn't inspire many filmmakers to explore the idea, barring the recent release Swathimuthyam. With a star like Samantha in the forefront, directors Hari and Harish have a great opportunity to throw light on various dimensions to surrogacy in Yashoda. While the film is packaged like a thriller, the commentary on motherhood and the resilience of women should add adequate depth to the narrative.

Kahaani was essentially a redemption story where a woman cons everyone but Yashoda is a tale of a woman who fights out a political/medical conspiracy on the cusp of motherhood. Yashoda, going by the trailer, seems like an ideal package of emotions, thrills, action driven by an engaging screenplay. Samantha looks perfect for her part and she's aided by a solid supporting cast comprising Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Murali Sharma, Rao Ramesh, Unni Mukundan to name a few. We can't wait for November 11 already!