RGV lost his Midas Touch in Rakta Charitra

[katharnak]

The maverick is on the loose once again. After the Jagan odarpu yatra, Kashmir imbroglio,  CWG fiasco, its time for the news channels, particularly the electronic media to grab the euphoria surrounded around ‘Raktha Charitra’ directed by the “Maverick” Ram Gopal Verma.



The Maverick and my fascination:


I was nineteen when I watched ‘Siva’ (1989), the first movie of Ram Gopal Verma, which catapulted him to into the league of elite Directors overnight. A hard core cinema buff and a strong critic in my own, I used to proudly tell that if “Sholay” divided Bollywood into pre and post Sholay eras, it’s Siva in Tollywood. The impact and the success of Siva surprised many a cine buff like me with and the name RGV started reverberating as an iconic Director who broke the conventional / formula style in the movie making. The movie brought many  unknown persons both behind and in front of the screen into lime light and suddenly common cinegoer started talking about photography, music, sound techniques, screen play, editing etc. and also recognizing actors till then counted as only Junior Artists. I personally felt that here’s one director who is going to change the face of the Tollywood and the movie ‘Gayam’ (1993) proved my perception right. Later RGV planted himself in a big way in Bollywood with Rangeela (1995). Though the subsequent movies did not go well, he delivered movies like Satya (another all time classic), Company, Sarkar with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. It was probably in the year 1997 that he left Tollywood permanently for greener pastures in Bollywood. I felt that he should have continued in Tollywood rather than jumping into the strong waters of Bollywood.

Some where down the lane the master (or should I stick on calling maverick) director lost the Midas touch and presented the audience and fans with some of the biggest duds (Nach, James, Deyyam (Telugu), not to forget RGV ki Aag, Sarkar 2, Nishabd, Phoonk) which made not only me but many of the viewers from striking him and his movies as ‘past’ their prime. There were many a rumor / allegations floated / leveled against him and media highlighted the alleged dealings with unwanted elements and unscrupulous financiers. When just I was thinking over them, the man made news by announcing “Raktha Charitra”, a movie based on the faction rivalry of Late Paritala Ravindra @ Paritala Ravi and his rival Gangula Surya Narayana Reddy @ Maddelacheruvu Suri of Penukonda area of Anantapur district.

Faction politics were prevalent till the beginning of 90’s particularly in Jammalamadugu, Proddatur, Pulivendula, Kamalapuram and Muddanuru areas of Kadapa district and Kovilakuntla, Banaganapalle, Panyam, Avuku, Atmakuru and Kodumuru areas of Kurnool district and brought under control in those areas due to strict police action and death of many leaders who patronized them. Surprisingly, the faction politics spilled and grew in the adjoining district Anantapur and by the beginning of 90’s, areas like Tadipatri, Dharmavaram and Penukonda in the district were top in the list of police as faction effected.



The Feud:


The family feud between Late Paritala Ravindra (portrayed as Pratap Ravi by Vivek Oberoi) and Maddalacheruvu Suri (portrayed by Surya) reached its zenith with the advent of these leaders joining Telugu Desam (TDP) and Congress respectively to strengthen their base in their respective areas. It’s a fact that the fathers of both the leaders (read Late Paritala Sriramulu and Gangula Narayana Reddy (ex-Cong MLA) were murdered during the late 70’s and early 80’s respectively with their sons being the prime alleged for the opponents killing. The faction in the district remained dormant in the 80’s (while brimming in Kadapa and Kurnool districts), during which Late Paritala Ravindra reportedly was wooed and groomed by the CPI-ML (People’s War Group (PWG)). Though never made public, it’s a fact that Ravi associated with the PWG during the initial days of his career.

The faction feud started to shed more blood in the district with Late Sane Chenna Reddy @ Kanumukkula Chenna Reddy (portraid as Naga Malla Reddy by Kota Srinivasa Rao), another strong leader and opponent of Ravi’s family becoming MLA on Congress ticket from Dharmavaram assembly constituency (Anantapur district). Chenna Reddy allegedly either eliminated the families/leaders opposed to him or made them forcefully surrender to him extending his strong arm tactics into the domain of Ravi, i.e Penukonda area, which ultimately lead to his elimination in 1991 in Dharmavaram town. S.V. Ramana Reddy (character is in the movie), the elder son of Late Chenna Reddy who was pursuing engineering in Karnataka was forced to take the mantle and became MLA in the ensuing by elections. A brilliant at studies, S.V. Ramana Reddy did not follow the usual faction politics ala his late father, but reportedly failed to control his brother Obula Reddy (portrayed as Bukka Reddy by Abhimanyu Singh) in dissipating from criminal acts. It was rumoured that Obula Reddy created an aura of fear among the people of Dharmavaram with his deeds during the period from 1991 to 1994 with the district police administration failing to stop the younger sibling. Surprisingly a young and dynamic lady police officer Ms Anjana Sinha, posted as Additional SP, Dharmavaram (portrayed as Ms Archana Singh in the movie) could halt the man for a period (if I am not wrong it was briefly for a period of six months during 1993).



Shocking incident – the change of course:


However it was the fateful Dusherra festival of 1993 that changed the course of the faction history in the district. The family of Maddelacheruvu Suri was targeted in an act of unprecedented nature ever known in the history of faction politics.  A television set which the family of Suri sent to Anantapur for repair was handed over to the family by a villager on Vijaya Dasami day. The family (Suri was away from home) was feeling happy to get the TV set back. It was switched on and a remote bomb planted in the TV set blasted killing six of the family members of Suri (brother, sister, brother-in-law and their kids) instantly sending ripples not only in the district but all through the state. Though police could not trace the culprits, needle of suspicion pointed towards Ravi who by then joined TDP and started annihilating the opponents to gain supremacy over the rivals in the district. This incident as expected brought back the old feud between the families of Ravi and Suri into lime light again making the latter boil for revenge.

In the ensuing assembly elections held in December 1994, Paritala Ravindra won from Penukonda Assembly constituency (Anantapur district) and was duly rewarded by Late NTR as Labour Minister in his cabinet.



My Analysis of the movie:


Now coming to analysis of the movie till where the first part got ended, I personally felt that the usual ‘intensity’ found in RGV’s movie is missing from RC-I. Verma could have chosen any part of Rayalaseema to shoot the movie for getting the realistic view of the area.



    Like many in the state, I too felt Late NTR (portrayed by Shatrugan Sinha) was depicted in not so good manner demeaning the legendary leader to certain extent and even providing hints that it was after NTR’s signal Ravi grew his base and empire (climax where in all top rowdies/goondas of Hyderabad are called for lunch and warned) leading to finally the elimination of the character Obula Reddy @ Bukka Reddy in the movie.

    It was shown that the character Pratap Ravi @ Paritala Ravi only entered the scene after the killing of his father and brother and eliminated those responsible for their killing which is true. However, no justification was given once becoming MLA, why Ravi allegedly went on spreading his empire and in the way decimated his opponents. The TV bomb incident which is a grey area of Ravi’s life history has no mention at all. I presume that the character of Suri reveals to audience in the second part.

    The background appears to be that of Bihar rather than hinterland of Anantapur district. Further the factionists of Andhra Pradesh, be it from any of the three districts, i.e Kadapa, Kurnool or Anantapur usually wear lungi (pancha) and not the dhoti as shown in the movie. They carry sickles, axes, bakulu (popularly known as pidi baku which is deadly and once punched into the stomach tears away the internal organs causing heavy bleeding and instant death) and country made bombs and not rifles as shown in the movie. By displaying the above, RGV created totally wrong background which I feel should have been the soul for the movie as it is termed as a period cinema.

    In the beginning where in two important characters (Raja Krishna Murthy @ Narasimha Reddy and Kota Sreenivasa Rao @ Naga Malla Reddy) are shown drinking whisky with ‘lehar soda’ in a plastic bottle again a no for a period movie as pet bottles got introduced in Indian market  after 1995. Characters are shown moving in ‘Sumos’, ‘Qualis’, ‘Safaris’ and ‘Innovas’, which were introduced in the market much after the completion of the first part (i.e after 1996).



The above issues are highlighted because RGV claimed that it’s based on a true story and should have avoided them.


- Prabhu

[keko__keka]

LoL.1q LoL.1q LoL.1q LoL.1q

FEEL SORRY/PITY 4 THE GUY WHO WROTE IT  F@!n sorry2

[KalyanK]

*=: except the last para..

[Einwanderer]

Rasinodiki pichi lechinattu vundi...

[Neo The One]

Vadu Sontaga raskunna story ante malli....Leher soda, TV 9 Mikulu, Bihar gannulu....WTF?