PremiumKrishnaRama review: Raj Madiraju’s family drama lends a trendy spin to a tale of generational disconnect
Rajendra Prasad, Gautami anchor the proceedings with their assured, confident performances
Last Updated: 04.43 PM, Oct 24, 2023
Story:
Ramathirtha and Krishnaveni are an elderly couple in Hyderabad, who lead a content yet a lonely life accompanied by a paying guest. In a bid to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren, who stay abroad, they create a Facebook account. Thanks to their witty posts, they taste instant fame online. When they take their social media validation seriously, all hell breaks loose.
Review:
Tales of generational disconnect deserve to be visited every decade in cinema. They can serve as an important document of the society, while mirroring changing trends, approaches towards interpersonal relationships and pop-culture references. However, there’ve been very few films that have either given this space a timely upgrade or earnestly revisited it with a newer lens.
KrishnaRama is a surprisingly vibrant addition to a long list of Telugu films revolving around parental neglect. While the film appears a similar cousin to the earlier films initially, director Raj Madiraju lends it a trendy spin as the protagonists take to social media to overcome their loneliness. The elderly couple views the medium with a child-like innocence and glee.
Social media gives the protagonists an outlet to share stories of their past, their issues with the present and the opportunity look at conflicts of the current generation in a different light. They turn into celebrity influencers overnight with their insights. Taking their authority seriously, they offer solutions, (unsolicited) advice to social media users, respond to popular developments.
As Ramathirtha and Krishnaveni go about acting like society’s (virtual) watchdogs, you’re briefly reminded of Kaikala and Sowcar Janaki’s antics in Tayaramma Bangarayya. The various Facebook profiles, their hypocrisies are introduced hilariously, showcasing Raj Madiraju’s eye for satire, his nuanced understanding of the social media space and how it buries bridges.
However, the exaggeration of the social media world only works partly. A crime within the city goes too far in creating a rift between Ramathirtha and Krishnaveni. How far can one go with ‘right to speech’ and how necessary is it to have an opinion on everything under the sun? While the conflict may appear silly, the film raises important questions and its treatment is rather intriguing.
The final act of KrishnaRama could’ve been ideated better - the director heightens the drama beyond necessity to create urgency before the conclusion. Beyond the couple’s concerns with their children, you resonate more with their views towards social media, which needlessly complicates their lives. That it doesn’t antagonise the younger generation is the film’s biggest success.
Even its weaker moments, the neat performances hold the film together effortlessly. Rajendra Prasad is perfectly cast as the authoritarian patriarch with firm opinions. He shares a delightfully warm camaraderie with Gautami Tadimalla on-screen. The nostalgic conversations, as they go down memory lane and peep into their early years, are the lifeline of the film.
One expected a meatier part for Ananya Sharma, the 30 Weds 21 find. Yet, her assured screen presence makes up for the limitations in her role. Srikanth Iyengar’s portrayal of a restrained cop is refreshing to watch, while Ravi Varma gets another well-written role reflecting his versatility as a performer. The supporting cast complements the story at crucial junctures.
Yet, you’ll remember the film for director Raj Madiraju’s storytelling that’s sensitive, funny and today in its approach. The creative choices - using a music band’s songs to provide subtext to situations, the social media court to discuss Krishna-Rama’s differences, the audio visual profiles on Facebook, visualising the protagonists’ flashback through children - add lustre to the narrative.
Verdict:
KrishnaRama isn’t perfect but does everything you expect of a well-made film - it provokes a thought but doesn’t preach, makes you invest in its characters and entertains. Rajendra Prasad and Gautami steer the ship with their experience in the hands of a clear-headed filmmaker.