It
can be said that not many movies stay with you long after their
scheduled run, and the ones that do, do so, for those innumerable
emotions that they invoke, for those countless ways that they
connect and for those mysterious ways, that they well up the hidden
feelings. While writing for a song for the movie Subhasankalpam,
Sirivennela summed up the power of those alphabet associations
that stir up the above, from deep within, thusly - "evaru
iccaarammaa inni akshaaraalu, aksharaala venaka inni ardhaalu,
ae daevata iccindO inni varaalu, vippi naenu ceppalaenu aa vivaraalu".
Add to that word association, the right context, the perfect emotion
and a good deliverer - the words start breathing and assume a
life of their own. And if a movie stood up to become the torchbearer
to this renaissance of good taste and this resurrection of good
quality, it is, arguably, Nuvve
Nuvve.
Characterization
has found a new home at Trivikram's. The ability of a character
to talk sensibly, convince the audience of its convictions and
motives, make them sympathize with its actions, be it the protagonist
or the father's character, are some of the characteristic traits
that Trivikram has mastered over the past few movies, and his
skill has reached a new pinnacle with this movie. Rounding off
every plot point, logical explanation behind each action, lack
of any extraneous behaviors, a pragmatic approach to every problem
and a practical view at what life (of the characters) has to offer,
not only brings them closer to the audience, but also endears
themselves to the same in the process. The two dimensions, action
and reaction, that usually define a Telugu movie character, has
been bestowed upon a third and an important dimension - emotion
and the words that props it. The skill at finding this new angle
within every character that greets us on the screen, is something
that Trivikram has honed with each passing movie, and it touched
a new zenith in Nuvve
Nuvve.
This
movie is a triangle of sorts involving a possessive father, his
torn daughter and her optimistic lover. An intelligent adaptation
of the Hollywood movie "Say Anything", Nuvve
Nuvve feels anything but a native Telugu movie, thanks for the
extra care that Trivikram has put in, shaping the characters to
perfection. Prakash Raj stands out as the hero of the movie, finely
balancing his emotions between an over-bearing father and an over-protective
parent. If, at no point, his character feels as one with a negative
touch, as one that has marks of villainy in it, it is because
of the humanization (not to be confused with the humanity) that
he brings to the character - a locked brow here, a sly smile there,
a silly smirk here and a broad laugh there - Prakash Raj seems
born for the part and he practically lives the character. Subtlety
in the dialogue delivery, hand gestures indicating his inner turmoil,
facial expressions conveying the deep schism between his love
for his daughter and the dislike that he developed towards her
lover, are just some of the many tools that he brings to the table.
It would be a grave injustice to the acting fraternity, should
he not be awarded the best actor award (not best character award,
as is the general tendency) for Nuvve
Nuvve.
Tarun
comes in a distant second, comparatively, with another good performance.
His ease with the spoken language coupled with a confident body
language, makes him a nice fit with the character that he portrays
on the screen. The gradual transformation of his character from
a carefree one to a caring one, ably supported by those fantastic
words from Trivikram, seems genuine, heart-felt and sincere. The
slight differences between the boyish charm that won over his
lady and the same boyish charm that earns the wrath of her father
was effectively conveyed through the careful intonation and his
skillful modulation. If shaping up a character, through a series
of words on paper, is one thing, bringing the character to life
on the screen, without missing the minute details on paper - a
clenched jaw here, a glinty eye there, a soft-spoken character
here, a earnest figure there - Tarun appeared as what was exactly
conceived in ink.
Rumored
as completely storyboarded, Nuvve
Nuvve has some nice imaginative shots and angles, thanks to
deft handling of the camera by Hari Anumolu and crisp cutting
by Sreekar Prasad. The two-shot sequences involving either the
lead characters, or the confrontation sequences between Tarun
and Prakash Raj, were choreographed to squeeze maximum mileage
out of the situation - consider the letter-grabbing episode involving
Tarun and Shriya, or the one at Annavaram when Shriya rests on
her father's shoulders or the fine camerawork in the campus scenes.
Koti and Sirivennela contributed their mite and might in bringing
out a well refined, mature and an entertaining product.
If
what Trivikram has showed us in Swayamvaram, Nuvve
Kaavali, Chirunavvuto
and Nuvvu Naaku Naccav,
were to be considered as just a tip of the proverbial iceberg
of his insightful and observant nature of the characters, if what
Trivikram made us feel, delving into the depths of the characters
in Nuvve Nuvve,
if what Trivikram has demonstrated in his dramatic prowess and
comedic timing in all the aforementioned movies, were just initial
forays decimating the dullness and the dreariness that is plaguing
the current telugu film character, assuring us that his best is
yet to come, then we are in for some great treat for times to
come.
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Srinivas Kanchibhotla how you liked the article.
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