Fanaa gave me a terrible headache. As I was about to leave the multiplex complex at the entrance I came face to face with my bro. he’s surprised to see me cos I had declared that I would not watch a movie till I cracked a particular exam(an impulsive statement.) so he was kinda shocked that I could go back on my word so easily. Movies are my Achilles heel, so can’t help it. He smiled and told me to turn around. I followed meekly. And before I knew it the tickets for the second show of Godavari were in my hands.
I simply loved Sekhar Kammula’s previous movie Anand so the expectations from this one were skyrocketing. And it lived up to it. The theme of the film revolves around a sensible love story. Movies like these make their entry almost unnoticed but make their presence felt gradually because of their originality and brilliance. If watching Anand was pleasurable like drinking a nice hot cup of coffee, watching Godavari is like sipping a soothing cool drink on a breezy beach on a summer evening.
Smoky hillocks, swirling waters and a boat make sure that every scene in Godavari is picture perfect. Cinematography by Vijay C Kumar is excellent. He captured Godavari and Papi Kondalu in a gigantic scale. He also made sure that the visuals are aptly suited to the mood of the film. The scenery doesn't undermine the captivating cinematography rather adds to it. Shot almost entirely on a boat on the meandering Godavari River the movie delves deeper into the human psyche: what kind of a man a self-respecting, independent and nubile woman seeks, why love is such a mushy phenomenon for some and how a man recovers from rejection. It's a little bit like Mills and Boons kind of romance on River Godavari. Add to that an insightful talking dog with a sense of humor and the entertainment is complete. Music by KM Radha Krishnan is very good. The background music is also good. Veturi’s lyrics are extraordinary. I especially like the first song in the movie which is shot entirely in Hyderabad.
This film can be made in any backdrop like a road journey or a foreign trip. But the Godavari backdrop added a whole new perspective to the film and it enhanced the visual splendor. Direction of the film is very good. The main strength of Sekhar Kammula is his sensibility. He made sure that each and every scene is sensible and is done with a logical purpose. His characterization is very strong (with a bit of bias towards heroine character). Screenplay of the film is good. Narration should have been bit faster. Dialogues of the film are perfect. Sekhar is also pretty strong in bringing emotions right. His voice given to the animated dog character is cool and the commentary of the dog is hilarious.
Sumanth is a revelation in this film. His histrionics in Godavari are just perfect. You don’t see Sumanth as an actor, but as a character in Godavari. Sumanth body language and screen presence got perfectly matched with that of Sreeram character. Kamalinee has given another wonderful performance as Seeta in Godavari. Seeta character is all about independent thinking and tremendous inner strength. Kamalinee rocks in this role with her intense yet cool portrayal. She oozes so much of sensuality in the ‘Andamga Lena’ song. No other film has such a strong female character after ‘Anand’ and she is sure to bag another award for her performance in Godavari. Neetu Chandra is awesome in the role of a confused girl who changes her mind in split of second. Kamal Kamaraju is adequate as haughty IPS officer.Emboldened by the scope given by Sekhar Kammula, Sumanth and Kamlini Mukherjee explore their own hidden acting talents via the movie with their natural styles. Sumanth proves that an actor need not have zany good looks, but must have acting talent and a creative director to guide. First half of the film is wonderful. The tempo gets disturbed in the second half of the film with two minor episodes. But director immediately gets back the film on track with a nice explanation. On a whole, Godavari film is another Sekhar Kammula’s film with good sensibilities and emotions. ‘Godavari’ film is as good as ‘Anand’ if not better. You must see this movie, may be more than once. Just go and take a plunge!
