‘Konda Polam’ movie review: Life lessons from the jungle

An upcoming Telugu film like Krish Jagarlamudi’s Kahaani is a rewarding visual and musical experience, but needs more depth

There is something comforting and reassuring about fables that packs in life’s lessons through simple tales. It’s like a return to a time when life was less complicated. In the heart of director Krish Jagarlamudi konda poleami (Forest Grazing) is a fairytale-like story adapted from the Telugu novel of the same name by Sanupureddy Venkatarami Reddy. In the process of grazing a vast herd of sheep in the mountainous forests to escape the drought in the plains, a young man rediscovers himself and finds his purpose in life.

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The story is set in the arid Rayalaseema region, in the vicinity of the Nallamala forest, though the film has been shot mostly in Vikarabad and Ananthagiri hills due to the COVID-19 restrictions. konda poleami Draws our attention to a lesser known fact – about shepherds in a village where water is a luxury, they have to venture into the forest to find food and water for a flock of sheep. Experienced shepherds, grappling with the vagaries of life and terrain, know how to survive in the wild and drive away all kinds of predators – animals, reptiles and crooked men.

konda poleami

  • Cast: Vaishnav Tej, Rakul Preet Singh
  • Direction: Krish Jagarlamudi
  • Music: MM Keeravani

Krish takes us into this world through Kataru Ravindra Yadav (Vaishnav Tej), who was born into a shepherd family but was somewhat of an outsider, as he has the privilege of being educated rather than raising sheep. But Ravindra is following another kind of herd, becoming an engineer with the hope that he will get a well-paying job, while having neither the understanding nor the aptitude for it.

He ventures into the woods with his father (Sai ​​Chand) and fellow villagers, including Obulamma (Rakul Preet Singh), with his eyes reflecting on his inexperience and guilt for not being able to bear the burden of his elders. Is.

Once the acrid initial enthusiasm of some shepherds subsides and they go deeper into the forest, an attempt is made to konda poleami a lovely regional the jungle Book, if you will.

There are no big surprises in the story. Since this unfolds as a flashback, we know that Ravindra is likely to take on new responsibilities and that Jungle has been a major influence on him. Reptiles, tigers and threats from smugglers are all part of the game.

The grandeur of the tagline ‘An Epic Tale of Being’ is mostly attributed to M.M. Music by Keeravani and V.S. Gyanshekhar’s cinematography emerges. The narrative and the visual landscape try to elevate a simple story. The camera lovingly captures the breathtaking views deep in the depths and at the same time captures the horrors of the wilderness.

Once the lessons of the forest are discussed, the exploits of the shepherds are repeated in later potions. Duets and a forceful climactic part also rob the film of its glory.

The story of Ravindra’s transformation could have been much more. Although the story is well thought out and often compares the struggle to survive in the jungles to survival of the fittest in concrete urban jungles, we don’t feel the impact.

Vaishnava Tej is effective in portraying the gullibility required by his character. Surrounded by experienced artists, he immerses himself in the atmosphere of the jungle. In the emotional parts, especially the scene where Obulamma professes her love, her experience is lacking. Rakul, in a tanned look, strikes a fine balance between being fun-loving and lends itself to Obulamma – a girl who had to make peace with her lack of education opportunity. Her lip sync with the rustic Rayalaseema dialect never goes to waste.

konda poleami There is a credible supporting cast – Sai Chand, Hema, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Mahesh Vitta and Racha Ravi. Ravi Prakash shines in a telephonic monologue with his wife, where he explains his limits and shows that he values ​​her education and the stability it brings to the relationship. The film has such engrossing and engaging segments, but despite all this, it feels heavy, as if the fable has been stretched out more than necessary.

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