193. Dasara; movie review

 

DASARA

Cert 15

153 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

Dasara is dark in every sense of the word - it is a pitch-black thriller set in a coal mining village.

The dust even blots out the sun as the gloom covers up acts of violence in the name of politics.

This is a story of have-nots, the poor from a community used to drowning its sorrows in alcohol. 

Indeed, the job as a keyholder of the local bar is one to which the ambitious aspire because it is so highly respected.

Srikanth Odela's ambitious debut movie stars Nani as Dharani, a coal stealer and heavy drinker who disguises his long-held love for the feisty Vennela (Keerthy Suresh) because she is entwined with his best pal (Dheekshith Shetty).

Meanwhile, an unhinged politician (Shine Tom Chacko) will stop at nothing to make sure he keeps the locals under his boot.

Dasara is a strange but intoxicating mix - it delves deep into village life and has a couple of epic song and dance numbers.

This is complemented by elements of unrequited love, unswerving political battles and the constant background of alcohol dulling the senses of the men and making life miserable for the women.

There are some excellent performances - especially from Suresh and Nani.

As said, there is much going on during Dasara but, in common with too many movies, it goes on too long and its very violent denouement is interminable.

The sooner directors understand that less can be more, the better.

Nevertheless, this is a very promising debut by Odela.

Reasons to watch: Intriguing village political thriller

Reasons to avoid: A bit repetitive

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know?  The Godavarikhani coal mines make up the backdrop to Dasara. The are a group of underground coal mines, operated by Singareni Collieries Company Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India, 

The final word. Srikanth Odela: "This is the story I have been hearing since my childhood. When you watch the film, you will understand what inspired me. Dasara is based on a real incident, and I created the story around it." 123 Telugu

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