Film: Okka Kshanam
Genre: Off Beat
Banner: Seven Hills Television Networks
Cast: Rajeev Kanakala, Kota, Ahuti Prasad, L B Sriram, Vizag Prasad, Jeeva, Narayan Rao, Raksha, Giri Babu, Telangana Sakunthala
Music: Arjun
Dialogues: Shouri
Editing: Ramesh
Story, screenplay, direction: Kodali Venkateswara Rao
Producer: Swathi Balineni
Release date: 07/05/2010
A girl student gets murdered and the news channels gets into action right away. After speaking to the neighbors and residents, it is deduced that the girl was murdered by her scorned lover Kishore.
The entire state gets into frenzy thanks to the electronic media commotion and the government decides to appoint a special committee of experts from various fields (Rajeev Kanakala, Kota, Ahuti Prasad, L B Sriram, Vizag Prasad, Jeeva, Narayan Rao, Raksha, Giri Babu, Telangana Sakunthala) and entrusts the decision. Whether they also come to the same conclusion or not forms the rest of the story.
Basically, the film maker has attempted to come up with a film that conveys a strong social message, that is to stop getting influenced by external factors and make preconceived notions about a situation.
This is an effort to tell the audience to stop thinking like a goat herd and use their own judgement about any issue.
While the concept is appreciable, there is a fine line between conceiving it and getting it on the screen. That was missing here, for instance, the discussions held by the panel and the various analyses they do are not strong enough to prove that the accused is innocent. The screenplay could have been worked upon so that the pace of the movie is maintained. Incidentally, it is difficult for the audience to connect to the key subject as the entire film goes about in a boardroom and no one knows or sees who Kishore is.
The plot chosen and the screenplay zeroed in are not strongly convincing to prove the point that Kishore, the unseen convicted is an acquit.
In a way, this is not for those who wish to go with their families and it requires a certain level of patience to understand the essence.
If the objective of the film maker is to make money out of it then it may not work but if he is keen on spreading the message then the film would require a strong dose of publicity to carry it across.
This is an offbeat and out of the box idea with a noble intention, ok for film festivals and art house audience.
(Sirasri can be reached at [email protected])
