Panchathantram review: This anthology is a gentle, refreshing sensory delight

3/5

Story:

A retired AIR employee, Veda Vyas is also an aspirant writer, who participates in a storytelling competition, in a bid to win a publishing contract. When asked to come up with five different stories driven by a common theme at the event, he narrates tales revolving around the five human senses. Will he win over audiences, an indifferent daughter, with his stories?

Review:

Anthologies are an acid test of a storyteller’s precision - they have little or no liberty to err. Beyond the compactness in the characterisation and the storytelling, the stories need to pique your interest and also linger in your mind after they’re over. Panchathantram, centring on a retired employee’s effort to restart life on a new slate, focuses on five human senses, capturing different facets of human relationships.

The beauty of Harsha Pulipaka’s directorial is its innovative yet relatable writing. They deal with conflicts revolving around people from various walks of life and age groups. Beyond the focus on sensory appeal, the stories are bound by strong human emotion with a pinch of nostalgia and compassion. There’s a compelling hook to bring these stories under the same umbrella and offer additional context.

The breezy treatment, the variety in the five segments and the spontaneous performances ensure that the soul of the film reaches its viewers.

Sight

Revolving around a frustrated corporate employee stuck in a rut, the segment focuses on the ability of nature to heal. The segment rests on a wafer-thin premise - of the impact that a pristine beach would have on the protagonist. How does he seek inspiration from a life that no longer surprises him? The portions portraying how Hari becomes increasingly irritable due to his mundane routine are filmed well.

Naresh Agastya mirrors the character’s psyche with conviction and it’s a sight to behold as he becomes a child in the lap of nature towards the end. Sri Vidya is equally at ease and you really believe her when she says ‘problem jeetham tho kadu, jeevitham tho’. While it’s hard to point out what exactly works here, the aftertaste is sweet. A better personal connect between the protagonist and the beach would’ve helped it register a stronger impact.

Taste

How necessary is it for a couple’s ‘tastes’ to match before they marry? The idea of taste is both literal and metaphorical in this segment while dealing with the quest of a 20s-something man to find his soulmate. He can’t describe what he seeks from a partner - yet, he says he needs a ‘woman’ and not a ‘girl’. Setting up the story around food, the ‘mouth-watering’ episode makes good use of nostalgia to help the protagonists arrive at a decision.

The story is a good example to suggest that the ‘little things’ are enough to decide the course of any relationship. Even if it’s the culinary tastes that bring them together ultimately, what the boy and girl seek is individuality in their partners. Rahul Vijay brings his confused character alive with effective body language and impressive dialogue modulation. Shivathmika Rajashekar is aptly cast as a modern-day woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Smell

Easily, the most innovative of the five stories, the director uses smell to shed light on its protagonist’s state of mind - an elderly man, who’s anxious about his daughter’s pregnancy. The deception in the storytelling is its main USP. While it comes close to venturing into a dark territory of the character’s psyche, an unexpected backstory turns the episode on its head, resulting in a moving ending.

It’s a relief to see Samuthirakani bagging a role free from templates and stereotypes, presenting him a scope to discover a newer, untapped side to him as a performer. Divyavani gets one of her better-written characters in recent times and it’s easy to empathise with her portrayal of a concerned, elderly woman. Mirchi Hemanth’s brief role makes an impact as well.

Touch

Much like the segment around smell, the conflict here too is driven by pregnancy, narrated through the eyes of a lower-middle-class couple. This episode comes as a welcome break from stories where the elderly lot takes turns to dictate terms to the younger lead characters. It’s the parents who’re the toxic bunch here and the couple literally says ‘no means no’ to their unasked advice.

However, what stays with you in this episode is the filmmaker’s exploration of the intimacy between a newly married couple without compromising on aesthetics - even the song doesn’t hinder its momentum. There’s no sense of closure for the characters and it’s perhaps why the story has a poetic quality. There’s a lightness in the treatment of potentially dramatic situations. Divya Sripada handles drama like a seasoned performer while Vikas and Surabhi Prabhavathi make a mark.

Hearing

Given this story comes from a retired AIR employee, you’re tempted to think of it as his nostalgic love letter to ‘radio’ as a medium. The episode around a children’s storyteller, a caring father and the idea of a disabled superhero fills you with hope and tells why stories can indeed give you wings to fly. On a larger level, it is a plea to stop reducing art as a commodity and look at its impact.

The bitter-sweet segment hits closer to home because we live in times when the future of traditional mediums - like the radio and print - face constant threats of extinction. Despite every opportunity for the director to turn preachy, the director displays a good hold over his craft. Swathi Reddy in a deserving comeback film gives her character the necessary composure and strength, ably complemented by a superb Utthej and an impressive Aadarsh Balakrishna. The child actor Praanya Rao is full of life and zest in her appearance.

Verdict:

Panchathantram is a well-made film that does a fine job of acclimatising Telugu audiences to anthologies. Harsha Pulipaka’s writing is refreshing and he displays tremendous control over his craft and technicalities and drives his point home effectively. The film is original with its idea and equally convincing with its execution.

It offers unique insights into the human psyche through stories revolving around the five senses. While Brahmanandam is terrific in a pivotal character that lends a context to each of the stories, the anthology boasts strong performances from Swathi Reddy, Utthej, Divya Sripada and Samthuirakani as well. Shravan Bharadwaj and Prashanth R Vihari use music effectively to lend more depth to the stories. Raj K Nalli’s cinematography and superb production design contribute to its holistic appeal.

(Panchathantram is now streaming on ETV Win)