Maa Neella Tank review: A lighthearted countryside tale that isn’t the comic blast it promises to be

2.5/5

Story:

Gopal, the son of Buchivolu sarpanch Kodandam, threatens to jump off a water tank and will settle for a compromise only if his lady love Surekha returns to the village. Everyone in the village tries to convince him otherwise while a reluctant cop Vamshi is entrusted with the responsibility of bringing back Surekha. Vamshi is promised a transfer to another town, provided he fulfils the task. Meanwhile, many influential names in the village use the incident as an excuse to accomplish their personal goals.

Review:

On a script level, Maa Neella Tank strives to be a close cousin to the popular Hindi show Panchayat, exploring the peculiarities of a sleepy village through the eyes of an officer (here it’s a cop). The diverse characters are rooted in the setting, flawed yet identifiable and the show relies on dialogue-driven humour to entertain viewers. The long-form storytelling helps the writers dig deep into the worlds of its characters, their motives and belief systems.

While the situations are wacky and outrageous, the realism in the characterisation is appealing. The director Lakshmi Sowjanya lets us soak in the idyllic small-town ambience and experience its little joys. Once it goes beyond the basic premise surrounding a wannabe influencer’s suicide bid and the character establishment, the show runs out of gas. In the guise of situational humour and rustic treatment, the narrative goes round in circles and ceases to move forward.

The show focuses largely on the comical (mis)adventures of a winnable influencer Gopal and casts light on the dark realities beneath the lives of the so-called revered figures in the village. It’s hard to point a finger at its authenticity in the depiction of village life – everyone is curious about each other’s business, even abandon their work to know what others are upto and relish their gossip. A disinterested cop Vamsi, on a busy day, receives complaints about lost clothes, and hens not laying eggs.

The cop and the individualistic Surekha work as standalone characters but their romance struggles to hold your interest – the absence of strong on-screen chemistry is another reason. The duo, for reasons best known to them, takes forever to express their feelings for one another and the storytelling is too languid for the viewer to invest in their relationship.

Kittu Vissapragada’s smart one-liners and flavourful dialogues (originally scripted by actor Suresh and his wife Rajshree) help you look past the show’s follies briefly. One would’ve appreciated them even more if a few episodes had more meat to them than the gags. The verbal humour is the USP of Maa Neella Tank but it becomes an excuse for the show creators to compensate for the lack of ideas.

Maa Neella Tank is only half-successful in its attempt to be a feel-good comedy. A handful of exchanges and banters are outrageously hilarious and every episode in the show has its moments. The balance between the drama and the humour goes for a toss at places, more so in the final set of episodes. The dialogue-fest turns out to be indulgent and the emotional beats lack depth, despite the actors giving it their best shot.

The show regains its momentum in the final episode and hints at a second season too. Yet, the journey towards the destination could’ve been smoother and less bumpy. The show belongs to its supporting cast, with Prem Sagar and Sudarshan having a blast as an awkward father-son duo. Prem Sagar’s dialogue delivery is an asset to the show while there has been no project that has given Sudarshan such wide scope to prove his range as a comedian.

Veterans like Rama Raju, Annapurnamma, complemented by the likes of Vasu Inturi, Bindu Chandramouli and Appaji Ambarisha, are in fine form. Divi Vadthya and Nirosha are strictly okay. A lot has been spoken about Sushanth’s efforts to fit the bill as a small-town cop and get the Chittoor slang right – his portrayal lives upto the hype and he loosens up just enough to make the performance feel believable.

Surekha is easily one of the best-written female characters in a rural setting in recent times. Beyond her love story, she has a mind of her own, runs a small bangle store in the village, calls out patriarchy and stands up for her rights when necessary. And yet, the show doesn’t give her enough opportunity to showcase her inner strength. Priya Anand is an unconventional choice for the part and she succeeds in highlighting the character’s psychological trauma.

Arvind Vishwanath’s cinematography is an asset to the show and he helps the small-town setting come alive through his aesthetic sense. The background score sticks out like a sore thumb – it’s too direct, unimpactful and leaves little to your imagination. Just like her first film Varudu Kaavalenu, Lakshmi Sowjanya’s sophomore project is a mixed bag where the execution doesn’t match upto its intent.

Verdict:

Maa Neella Tank is an authentic portrayal of life in the countryside though it isn’t a perfect binge-watch material. You’re likely to appreciate it provided you watch it in instalments. The show has pacing issues, the writing and the dialogue-driven humour work at places but get tiring beyond a point. The performances by Sushanth, Prem Sagar, Sudarshan hold the fort in crucial junctures.