Movie: Gangs of Godavari
Rating: 2/5
Banner: Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four
Cast: Vishwak Sen, Anjali, Neha Sshetty, Nasser, Hyper Adhi, Praveen, Goparaju Ramana, Mayank Parak, Ayesha Khan and others
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
DOP: Anith Madhadi
Editor: Naveen Nooli
Art: Gandhi Nadikudikar
Action: Ram-Laxman
Producers: Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya
Written and Directed by: Krishna Chaitanya
Release Date: May 31, 2024
Vishwak Sen has experimented with various movie genres. After impressing us with his performance in "Gaami" earlier this year, he played an upcoming politician from the Godavari region in this drama. The trailers and songs were intriguing.
Let us see whether the film lives up to its promise.
Story:
The story is set in a lanka village near Kovvuru about 25 years ago. It follows the life of Lankala Ratnakar (Vishwak Sen), who was born and raised in this village.
Ratnakar is involved in a romantic relationship with a prostitute named Ratna (played by Anjali). But he develops feelings of love for Bujji (played by Neha Sshetty), who happens to be the daughter of Nanaji (played by Nasser), a prominent local politician.
Ratnakar cunningly manipulates both Doraswamy Raju (Goparaju Ramana) and Nanaji, pretending to be loyal to both of them, with the ulterior motive of securing the position of MLA.
After Ratnakar is elected as MLA, the situation becomes tumultuous as both Chinna Dora, the son of Doraswamy Raju, and the men of Nanaji conspire against Ratnakar.
Will Ratnakar emerge victorious or suffer defeat in the game?
Artistes’ Performances:
Vishwak Sen delivers a neat performance as a hot-blooded young man from the Godavari area. But he doesn't do justice for Godavari accent. In fact, in crucial scenes, his portrayal lacks effectiveness. He mostly plays in his usual manner.
Anjali plays a typical prostitute role. Neha Sshetty delivers an adequate performance as Vishwak Sen's wife, but still she fails to touch audience hearts.
Goparaju Ramana as a politician shines. Nasser's character offers nothing new.
Technical Excellence:
Yuvan Shankar Raja's "Addala Vonila" has already gone viral, and the song onscreen is quite effective as well. Other songs do not work at all. But Yuvan's background score is effective. The cinematography is very impressive.
Highlights:
Backdrop
Couple of episodes
Drawback:
Dull and plain screenplay
Incoherence
Lack of novelty
Hero’s character and graph lacks connect
Overdrawn climax episodes
Analysis
Although certain films may start off on a dull tone, they manage to gain momentum halfway through and conclude in a satisfactory manner. "Gangs of Godavari" is a film that consistently fails to strike the right chord.
The narrative commences in a lackluster manner, and as the plot unfolds, it becomes evident to the viewers that the director's screenplay lacks coherence.
“Gangs of Godavari” tells us the practice of trident binding (Katti Kattadam), a tradition of seeking revenge through murder, which was once widespread in the villages of Lanka in the Godavari region for several decades. This tradition disappeared with the arrival of Lanka Ratnakar.
The film primarily explores the disappearance of the tradition and delves into the reasons behind. In order to convey this, we are presented with numerous subplots involving the protagonist Lankala Ratnakar, none of which are characterized by heroism or intrigue.
Occasionally, it attempts to emulate the narrative style of "Pushpa," particularly in its portrayal of the protagonist's interactions with Nasser and Goparaju Ramana, as well as his crafty strategies to secure a position as an MLA.
At times, it evokes memories of "Rangasthalam", specifically the political dynamics of the Godavari region and the period backdrop. The majority of the film takes place during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Every scene looks familiar. Thus lacks any engagement or interest.
Both Vishwak Sen's relationship with Anjali's prostitute character and his romance with Neha Sshetty's character are unappealing to watch. Plus, the protagonist's objective and his endeavor fail to establish a meaningful connection with the audience.
By the end of the film, we perceive him to be more of a renegade rather than a virtuous individual. His supposed 'sacrifice' to end the tradition of 'Katti Kattadam' doesn’t make any impact.
The drama, although essential for capturing attention, lacks substance. The villains possess no inherent worth or significance. The film disregards logical consistency.
In a nutshell, "Gangs of Godavari" is filled with numerous subplots and events, but none of them have an impact. The film commences with a lackluster tone and concludes in an equally tedious fashion. An entirely ineffective narration. A total bore.
Bottom line: Tedious Gang
