Movie: Lakshmi’s NTR
Rating: 2/5
Banner: G V Films
Cast: P Vijay Kumar, Yagna Shetty, Sri Tej and others
Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra
Music: Kalyani Malik
Lyrics: Sirasri
Producers: Rakesh Reddy and Deepthi Balagiri
Written and direction: Ram Gopal Varma and Agasthya Manju
Release date: March 29, 2019
Ram Gopal Varma's “Lakshmi’s NTR” has been in the news for many reasons. The film courted controversy after the trailer gave the glimpse who is the villain of this story.
Telugu Desam party tried to stop the movie’s release but it hit the screens today. Let’s find out.
Story:
The story begins in 1989. Lakshmi Parvathi (Yagna Shetty) enters into NT Rama Rao’s life to write his story and soon becomes his caretaker, his soul mate and eventually his second wife.
NTR’s daughters and sons loath NTR’s new wife and start plotting against her. His son-in-law Nara Chandrababu Naidu spills fear in the minds of NTR’s sons and daughters that Lakshmi Parvathi would take over Telugu Desam party.
How he stages coup against NT Rama Rao and how the great leader led his life in his last days is shown in the story.
Artistes’ Performances:
P Vijay Kumar, a new actor, essayed the role of Late NTR. Vijay Kumar has resemblance of the old NT Rama Rao and the getup in long shots is perfect. The performance is neat. The body language and the dialogue modulation is terrifically good. However, Vijay Kumar is not convincing as NTR in close up shots.
Yagna Shetty as Lakshmi Parvathi steals the show. She has done justice to the role. Most part of the movie revolves around her.
Sri Tej as Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the son-in-law who backstabbed NTR is excellent. He has got the cunning looks right.
Technical Excellence:
Kalyani Malik’s music is the main asset. The songs have carried the mood especially the ‘Dhaga” song has elevated the theme. His background score is apt. Cinematography is okay. Production values are of sub-standard.
Highlights:
Sri Tej performance as Chandrababu
Viceroy Episode
Drawback:
Documentary feel
Slow narration
Bonding story
Too Many Songs
Analysis
We have recently seen two parts of NTR Biopic as “NTR Kathanayakudu” and “NTR Mahanayakudu” directed by Krish. Both were rejected by the audiences as they tried to glorify NTR’s life hiding the dark parts. Also both the movies didn’t cover NTR’s life of his last days.
Ram Gopal Varma and Agasthya directed “Lakshmi’s NTR” narrates the account of NTR’s last days after he lost power in 1989.
The film primarily focuses on three points – 1) NTR and Lakshmi Parvathi’s love story 2) How NTR was neglected by his sons and daughters (it completely establishes that they didn’t provide care to an aging man) 3) CBN’s coup
“Lakshmi’s NTR” comes to the point straight with the arrival of Lakshmi Parvathi in an auto to pen the biography of NT Rama Rao.
The first half of the movie solely has focused on how the bond between them blossomed and turned into a tree. Two background songs, and sublime depiction of their bonding are good here. “Major Chandrakanth” episode has become basis for the interval bang and the all-important coup and Chandrababu Naidu’s evil tactics are occupied the second half.
While the first half is narrated in slow and theatrical manner, the second half of the movie hits the bull’s eye. There is no two ways about it, the second half establishes as Chandrababu Naidu is the one who backstabbed is father-in-law.
Unlike Krish, Ram Gopal Varma has showcased NTR’s life in realistic way. But the slow narration is major drawback. It needs lot of patience to watch the sluggish pace of bonding between NTR and Lakshmi Parvathi. Also the actors chosen for NTR’s family members are more like actors in a spoof movie.
Some important dialogues are muted by Censor Board.
All in all, “Lakshmi’s NTR” serves its purpose of recounting the past events in NTR’s last days. It also answers why NTR married Lakshmi Parvathi. However, this film is also not complete biopic, it is only like the other side of NTR from the perspective of Lakshmi Parvathi.
Bottom-line: Sathi Lakshmi Parvathi
