dharmapuri telugu movie review

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Release Date : April 22,2022

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring: Gagaan Viharri, Aparna Devi

Director: Jagath

Producers: Bhaskar Yadav Dasari

Music Director: Osho Venkat

Cinematography : Krishna Prasad

Editor: Marthand K Venkatesh

As KGF 2 is in full swing, not many biggies have made their way to the box office. So, a small film titled 1996 Dharmapuri has made its way to the big screens. Let’s see how it is.

Set in the year 1996, Dharmapuri is about Suri(Gagan Vihaari) and Malli(Aparna Devi) who come from very humble backgrounds. They fall in love and when everything seems to be going fine, Malli’s finance causes issues. If this was not enough, the village politics also suffocate the love story. But the couple goes through all odds and decides to get married. The twist on the tale arises when Suri goes missing on the wedding day. What happened to Suri? Where did he go? What will Malli do now? To know the answers, you need to watch the film on the big screens.

Plus Points:

One of the biggest assets of the film is that there is no deviation in the film. The setup, backdrop, and realistic narration are pretty good in both halves. The earthy visuals and rural emotions have worked well in the film.

Coming to the performances, the main lead Gagan Vihari has done a very good job. He as the innocent and yet stubborn village guy did justice to his role. He has good talent and will be an asset if used properly. The suspense elements that have been created in the second half look good.

Aparna Devi plays the female lead and she gets the meaty part as the small-town girl from Telangana. She is very good with her outbursts in the second half and is impressive in the climax. Naga Mahesh and Janardhan who play village heads do justice to their roles.

Minus Points:

The story of the film is quite routine. As it is based on a real-life story, there is nothing much that can be altered or added masala to. The makers take a lot of time to enter the main plot and things look slow.

Also, the twist that is showcased looks good but it should have been revealed in a more thumping manner. There are a few romantic and wooing scenes in the first half that should have been trimmed to make things look crisp.

Technical Aspects:

The camera work is pretty decent as it captures the small-town backdrop and emotions beautifully. Music by Osho Venkat is impressive as the songs and BGM are quite impressive. The Telangana lingo and production design look good. The screenplay is decent and the production values are pretty good.

Coming to the director Jagath, he has done a decent job with the film. He has taken a real-life story and weaved decent emotions around it. His narration is neat and does not have any deviations. But if he had more noted actors and added more drama, the effect would have been even more.

On the whole, 1996 Dharmapuri is a realistic love story with an interesting backdrop and able performances. However, the needed drama should have been elevated more in key areas. But as the curiosity factor is maintained well, this film can be given a shot this weekend for its honest storytelling.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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Home » Review » 1996 Dharmapuri review: A brutal rural drama centred on love and politics »

1996 Dharmapuri review: A brutal rural drama centred on love and politics

Director Jagath’s understanding of rural politics at a grass-root level is matched by his ability to weave a good drama and extract impressive performances from his cast

• Srivathsan Nadadhur

Last Updated: 10.28 PM, Dec 04, 2022

In Dharmapuri, a village in Telangana, Suri is a youngster who works loyally for the sarpanch. His parents are eager to find him a match despite his reluctance. When he meets Malli at a private function, he instantly falls for her. Malli, who takes to beedi-making for a living, soon finds herself attracted to Suri. There’s opposition from several corners for their marriage but they’re determined to stay together. Just when it seems like a ‘happy-ever-after’ tale, Suri goes missing. Is Suri safe? How does Malli deal with his absence?

Films like 1996 Dharmapuri can be made when an insider gets to tell the story of his soil with conviction and paint a picture of reality minus any sugar-coating. The first thing you notice in the film is the authenticity of the directorial voice. Director Jagath knows his backdrop in and out, where his characters hail from, right from their behaviour to their language and their cultural roots. It’s this understanding of the ambience sans judgement that lends credibility to the drama, despite its familiar beats.

1996 Dharmapuri, in its first hour, is fashioned more like a Romeo-Juliet tale. While establishing the social situation of the village, the story talks of the many roadblocks the couple faces from their families for marriage and how the sarpanch stands up for them, come what may. An interesting interval block turns the story on its head and the focus shifts to the rural politics over Suri and Malli’s romance. The storytelling is almost deceptive, but it keeps you hooked to the screens.

The director Jagath uses romance as a tool to explore the ruthlessness of village politics. The story is about politics, yes, and as much about human greed. There’s enough tension in the narrative when Suri goes missing from his home and through this incident, you get to see the true picture of the village beneath the facade. The emotions are raw and the narration is focused without any forced subplots. Most of the pivotal characters have an identity and you get to hear their side of the story.

As a plot, 1996 Dharmapuri may not offer anything out of the box, but one must acknowledge it as an important document of reality within Telugu states even today. Jagath packages the story smartly through the perspective of the couple and the fact that he sets up the story in 1996 offers the viewer an opportunity to pause, reflect and smell reality from a certain distance. Except for the climax, where vengeance and gore are almost celebrated, the intent is quite appreciable.

When the film ends, what stays with you are casual verbal banters among the villages, their raw sense of humour in the Karimnagar slang, the songs that women sing while they make beedis and how they blend music and performing traditions into every aspect of their lives. There's an earnestness in everything from the performances to the cinematography and the music. The absence of known faces is an advantage because it helps the director focus on the story and its characters more.

Gagaan Viharri is a fine talent who emotes well, has expressive body language and his dialogue delivery is one of his major strengths. Aparna Devi fits the part of a village belle to perfection. However, the film truly belongs to Janardhan (of Palasa fame) as the sarpanch and his heartfelt conversations with his wife are a delight to watch. The supporting cast comprising Keshav Sanam, Busstop Koteshwara Rao, Narayana Swamy, Shankar Kalyan, Ragini, Madhumitha, Jayaprada and others provide a good foundation for the narrative.

Osho Venkat’s music is a huge asset to the film and he makes an effort to capture the true soundscape of the region without forcing a commercial flavour into the songs. Krishna Prasad, the cinematographer, uses natural locations well to enhance the impact of the visuals while Marthand K Venkatesh’s experience on the editing front is quite visible in the compact yet coherent narrative.

Full marks to the director Jagath for attempting to tell a story like the 1996 Dharmapuri but like most Telugu films, it puts the caste angle on the back burner. Lines addressed to the sarpanch (by the villagers), like, “we want you as a leader for the next 100 years,” don’t appear in good taste. Yet, that doesn’t make 1996 Dharmapuri any less of an achievement.

1996 Dharmapuri is an engaging rural drama narrated with the authenticity of an insider. The director Jagath uses cinematic liberties efficiently to paint an accurate picture of the reality in villages. Gagaan Viharri, Aparna Devi and Janardhan come up with impressive performances while Osho Venkat’s music stands out as well.

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• Cast & crew

1996 Dharmapuri

Hanumantha Rao, the Sarpanch of Dharmapuri, has a foster kid named Suri, who falls for a girl Malli. Her mother disapproves of him and asks Laxmi Rajyam Patel, his father's political opponen... Read all Hanumantha Rao, the Sarpanch of Dharmapuri, has a foster kid named Suri, who falls for a girl Malli. Her mother disapproves of him and asks Laxmi Rajyam Patel, his father's political opponent to intervene. Will the sarpanch go by the rules or will he help the lovebirds? Hanumantha Rao, the Sarpanch of Dharmapuri, has a foster kid named Suri, who falls for a girl Malli. Her mother disapproves of him and asks Laxmi Rajyam Patel, his father's political opponent to intervene. Will the sarpanch go by the rules or will he help the lovebirds?

• Tripura Nimmagadda
• Aparna Devi

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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• April 22, 2022 (India)
• Bhaskara Group of Media
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹26,800,000 (estimated)
• Runtime 2 hours 12 minutes

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

• What is the release date of '1996 Dharmapuri'? Release date of Gagaan Viharri and Aparna Devi starrer '1996 Dharmapuri' is 2022-04-22.
• Who are the actors in '1996 Dharmapuri'? '1996 Dharmapuri' star cast includes Gagaan Viharri, Aparna Devi and Naga Mahesh.
• Who is the director of '1996 Dharmapuri'? '1996 Dharmapuri' is directed by Jagath.
• What is Genre of '1996 Dharmapuri'? '1996 Dharmapuri' belongs to 'Action,Drama,Romance' genre.
• In Which Languages is '1996 Dharmapuri' releasing? '1996 Dharmapuri' is releasing in Telugu.

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