Movie: Shatamanam Bhavati
Rating: 2.75/5
Banner: Sri Venkateswara Creations
Cast: Sharwanand, Anupama Parameswaran, Prakash Raj, Jayasudha, Indraja, Sivaji Raja, Praveen, and others
Music: Micky J Meyer
Editing: Madhu
Art: Ramana Vanka
Cinematography: Sameer Reddy
Producers: Raju
Story, screenplay and Direction: Satish Vegesna
Release date: Jan 14, 2017
Producer Dil Raju and Sri Venkateswara Creations are known for producing family entertainers. When Dil Raju announced 'Shatamanam Bhavathi', with Sharwanand and Anupama Parameshwaran in lead roles the movie created good vibration.
The songs, the trailers and the buzz have been good. So despite biggies competing this season at box office, the film hit the screens. Is this film content rich? Let's find out.
Story:
Raghava Raju (Prakash Raj) leads happy life with his wife Janakamma (Jayasudha) in Atreyapuram. His grandson (cousin's grandson) Raju (Sharwanand) has special bonding with him and lives with him. But none of Raghava Raju's children who live abroad pay a visit to their home even for festivals.
To make them to comedown to their home on Sankranthi festival, he comes up with a plan that brings them all to their village. And family begins to enjoy the time together. On the other hand the grandson falls in love with his niece (Anupama). But the plan also creates problems between Raghava Raju and his wife. What happens next is the story.
Artistes’ Performances:
Sharwanand has not much to do except playing good natured person, a role that reminds us old Venkatesh's roles.
Jayasudha and Prakash Raj as grandparents have given their best and of them Jayasudha once again steals the show. Anupama Parameshwaran is cute, she has not much to do. Indraja, Naresh and others are okay.
Technical Excellence:
The movie is dipped with greenery. Sameer Reddy shot the beautiful village locations richly and it has classy production values. Mickey J Meyer’s songs are soothing and melodious. Dialogues by director are neat. Pace of the film is slow, the editing should have been crisp too.
Highlights:
Cinematography
Music
Clean family drama
Drawback:
Predictability
Thin plot
Dragging narration
Outdated scenes
Bad comedy
Analysis:
"Shatamanam Bhavati" is mix of many super hit family entertainers. The writer and director Satish Vegesna has taken scenes from movies like "Seetharamayya Gari Manavaralu", "A Aa", "Govindudu Andarivadele", "Mr Perfect", "Brundavanam", "Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu", etc.
If you have seen all these movies, you would easily know what happens one after the other, as the basic story is very thin.
Prakash Raj is unable to see his wife Jayasudha's unhappy as their kids are not coming home. He makes a call to the kids with a plan. This is like in Seetharamayya Gari Manavaralu, ANR sending wedding card to his son who is living in USA to bring him to his village. All family members are enjoying their time together and sorting out their issues is straight from "Mr.Perfect". Sharwanand's role is mix of many movies.
The conflict between Prakash Raj and Jayasudha that arises from Prakash Raj's secret plan defies logic. Once their two sons and daughter and their kids come to their home, the movie completely goes like typical village dramas - with heroine asking questions like - What is Muggu? What is VP?
Then the drama goes on with predictable sequences but they also make a decent fun till the interval. Thanks to colorful visuals, setting and performances of the actors, till interval it makes a decent watch. Post interval, the movie is filled with even more outdated and predictable sequences.
While in the past, family dramas inspired by Suraj Bharjatya's "Maine Pyaar Kiya" and "Hum Aapke Hai Kaun" used to include 'Antyakshari' sequences to run the drama. Here, they have used a lengthy dubsmash sequence as per today's trend. So, we will see various actors performing from scenes of Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu, Prabhas, NTR's hit movies.
Regarding the romantic track between Sharwanand and Anupama, it is exact copy of recent hit "A...Aa". But the chemistry between Sharwanand and Anupama is good.
What works in the movie are the colorful themes. Entire movie is set in lush green village in Godavari district, the surroundings, the cool visuals; the simplicity of the life makes the film a warm watch. Added to this, the music is also soothing. Despite this predictability, the movie makes a decent watch for this sole reason.
All in all, "Shatamanam Bhavati" is as typical family drama with predictable scenes and routine narration.
Bottom-line: Village Drama!
