Telugu film ‘Veeranjaneyulu Viharayatra’ to stream on ETV Win Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
in a scene Veeranjaneyulu Sightseeing TourThe Telugu film, written and directed by Anurag Palutla, has the siblings smiling and stopping their fight over mango-flavoured ice golas, at least for a while. Anurag has incorporated small moments in the film that prevent the story from becoming a boring one. He presents a bittersweet portrait of a family to show how people can come together despite misunderstandings. After all, family relationships are never really sweet. The film, streaming on ETV Win, may fail completely to make us excited for its characters, but it does have some moments that do. The performances of Naresh, Sri Lakshmi, Raga Mayur and Priya Vadlamani bring the broken family to life. There is also the presence of Brahmanandam, who tries to make up for the shortcomings of the writing.
It’s been almost a year since Veeranjaneyulu (Brahmanandam) passed away and his family is yet to immerse his ashes. Through Brahmanandam’s voice, we learn how he worked all his life for the betterment of his family and left behind his favourite destination – a house in Goa, Happy Home. Each surviving member of his family has a story full of challenges. The first half an hour or so is spent establishing these characters.
Veeranjaneyulu Viharayatra (Telugu)
Director: Anurag Palutla Cast: Naresh, Sri Lakshmi, Raga Mayur, Priya Vadlamani, Brahmanandam
Plot: A dysfunctional family goes on a road trip to immerse their grandfather’s ashes in Goa and the drama begins.
Streaming: ETV Win
The father (Naresh), a school teacher, is unceremoniously dismissed from service citing his inadequacy in English. The mother (Priyadarshini) is portrayed as a tireless nurturing woman who endures the day-to-day taunts of her mother-in-law (Sri Lakshmi). The daughter, Sarayu (Priya Vadlamani), is almost engaged to the love of her life (Ravi Teja Mahadasyam) but feels suffocated by the patriarchal gaze of her prospective mother-in-law. The son, Veeru (Raaga Mayur), taking the name of his grandfather, has to deal with a business setback. He is also in a loveless relationship from which he is hesitant to break free.
The family embarks on a road trip and it turns out to be more than a biopic. The film is based on a narrow plot and the drama is driven primarily by these characters. As a 1980s van speeds from Andhra Pradesh to Goa, composer RH Vikram’s music pervades the tense moments and pauses without drawing attention. Cinematographer C Ankur alternates between close shots inside the van and wide shots of the landscape as the vehicle passes, depicting the tensions within the family and how they have to stick together as they have no one else to help.
When the first big fight takes place and the hidden secrets of every family member are revealed, there is a palpable tension in the story and we wonder what the characters will do next. But when this narrative device of using high drama to draw out secrets is used again in later parts, it does not have the desired effect.
Each character is given ample time in the narrative, allowing them to introspect and sort out their issues. However, in doing so, the film feels overly dragged. The forced humour in a hospital scene is mostly irritating rather than providing comic relief amid the heavy drama. In these portions, the acting carries the proceedings.
Naresh leads from the front, evoking sympathy for their plight as the father who has suffered silently for decades. The veteran Sri Lakshmi as the grandmother is fun to watch and gets some ‘manly’ moments. Raga Mayur has given a meaningful performance as the worried, angry son. His banter with his on-screen sister, Priya Vadlamani, is perfect. Priya fits the bill as a woman who doesn’t want to follow her mother’s subservient example and wants her own identity.
As the conversation often turns into an argument, one wonders why this family couldn’t have sat together and talked things out. If only it was that easy. Anurag wants his viewers to understand that in some families, communication is not easy and hence, a road trip serves to bring out the bottled-up emotions.
Veeranjaneyulu Sightseeing Tour It attempts to be more than a simple family drama, Kapoor And SonsBut it’s a mile away from that goal. It’s still worth watching and has some lovely moments.
