CINEMA BANDI (2021)
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| Critic No. 211 |
Director: Praveen Kandregula
Produced by: D2R Indie
Casts: Sandeep Varanasi, Vikas Vasistha, Rag Mayur, Sindhu Sreenivasa, Trishara
Language: Telugu
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Music: Satyavolu Sirish, Varun Reddy
SYNOPSIS:
When Veerababu, an auto-rickshaw driver finds an expensive camera in the back seat of his rickshaw, he comes up with a ridiculously ambitious plan to gather the village and make a film - a ticket to get their drought-hit village out of its dreary conditions.
REVIEW:
Personally, I like films that realistically capture the journey of filmmakers, especially when real practical humour is thrown through the obstacles. When a bunch of people from the village set out to make their own film, they inevitably derive from standard Tollywood tropes and aesthetics and they are convinced in a second that making a film would be a breeze. At no point, they worry whether they are making a good film or even getting good actors. They just go all out without any doubt on their own abilities in directing the movie. In other words, Cinema Bandi is a hopeful, delightful tribute to the joys and possibilities of democratizing filmmaking. Because, as the film’s tagline says, ‘Everyone’s a filmmaker at heart’.
The film is driven by many all-out funny obstacles along the way, be it searching for the perfect heroine to awaiting the rain for a rain dance in the likes of Telugu cinema tropes. The humour keeps coming and the beauty of it is they are realistic, relatable, and deeply rooted in the situations. Nothing looks very staged in this film, thanks to the huge wave of debut actors who have given a fine show. Even though the goal of Veerababu and team lies in making a good film, the subplots highlight the underlying social and financial problem in the slums which they are indirectly trying to solve through this bigger dream.
Besides the laugh-out-loud moments, there are also truly heartfelt moments that will make your eyes well up like the scene where Veerababu convinces the village that the film is not just a one man’s dream but what it could do to the village. You don’t shed tears out of sadness for their struggle but for the sheer gratitude, the film shows the magic of cinema and how it conveys that art is a shared joy of labour. The cinematography by Apoorva Shaligram and Sagar is raw and the editing by Kakarla Dharmendra and Girijala Raviteja is racy, which elevates the comedy. Satyavolu Sirish and Varun Reddy’s earthy score lifts up the wacky as well as the important emotional moments of the film.
However, the only problem I had with the film is the lack of big conflicts. Yes, there are tons of obstacles that the team faces while making the film but till the end, the bigger conflict doesn’t. The film also concludes quite conveniently when they are hit with the last straw. The antagonistic characters that are introduced are also easily convinced.
That said, Cinema Bandi lovingly, passionately puts forth the idea that every individual and community can tell imaginative stories through film, or any medium for that matter. It is a perfect film for this gloomy pandemic period which will definitely put up smiles on our faces and hearts.
Cinema Bandi is a heartwarming love letter to the art of cinema with fine humour, deeply rooted in the veins of reality.
CELLULOID METER- 3.5/5:
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