Aatagadharaa Siva Movie Review {3.5/5}

"Punishment is the key to learn your mistake."

Title: Aatagadharaa Siva
Language: Telugu
Cast: Doddanna, Hyper Aadi, Chanti, Bhadram, Chammak Chandra
Release Date: 20 July 2018
Director: Chandra Siddhartha
Music: Nobin Paul

Rating: 3.5/5

This statement feels very rude but we follow this ideology so much that we don't even consider if truly deserving person is getting punished and for what? A rule book tells you this is the rule and these are limits. There might be exceptions but do feelings come under rules? Can they be guided and guarded? What jails and high level punishments like death do? Do they reform or just make a human into an animal?

Don't get us wrong, a good film always leaves you with something to take back home and Aatagadhara Siva did the same to us. You don't need crores of budgets all the time to touch an heart string and this film does try and succeed too. With Aa Naluguru, Chandra Siddhartha already proved that he can deliver a memorable film. Did he do the same after almost a decade with this new one? Let's find out.

Story:

A criminal, Babji ( Uday Shankar) escapes from jail as the day of him being hanged to death approaches closer and closer. He decides to run away to some place and live his life. On the other hand, Jangayya (Doddanna), an executioner gets an official invitation to execute the death by hanging punishment to another criminal.

He starts his journey after praying to Lord Siva and meets Babji, on his way. He gets to know who is Babji and decides to act as if he doesn't know to take him back to the jail. Aadi (Hyper Aadi) and his love run away from the house and they ask lift from Jangayya. He accepts and they get to know about Babji too. Aadi decides to tag along Jangayya and help him for cash prize on Babji. What will happen next? Watch it on silver screen without fail.

Performances::

Uday Shankar comes with a performance that will give him confidence to proceed further in his career. He doesn't try to overreact and create some melodrama. He maintains the punch that his character needs to deliver throughout the film. With limited dialogues and more facial expressions, he is very good on-screen.

Doddanna, a legend from Kannada Industry proves that he is not just a scary villain of films like Police Story but also a brilliant actor who can make you connect with him, instantaneously. You can't take your eye of his minute expressions and the way he carries his role in the film is exemplary.

Hyper Aadi and others manage to deliver good enough performances that keeps us hooked and entertain through the runtime.

Technicalities::

Lavith with his camera tries to capture the essence of raw and dry lands that symbolise the emptiness of the world. Both the characters are empty till they meet and even when they are with others, however forcefully, they can only be each other's company. His camera reflects this throughout the film without over-shadowing the main story.

Vasuki Vaibhav comes up with soundtrack that is unique. Once you watch the film, you will fall in love with his score. Nobin Paul's background score is apt.

Navin Nooli comes up with a good cut that suits the story teller's ideas. He doesn't rush into scenes nor misses the details that the director wants you to know. He did his best possible work for the story.

Chandra Siddhartha is known for taking typical themes and converting them into good films on screen. He does it again with Aatagadhara Siva. He is not in a hurry to deliver any message and he is not even trying to pretend that there is a huge material that you need to concentrate. He wants you to be entertained at the same time get effected by the things happening on screen.

His writing is strong in this film and screenplay very tight. As the movie has a wafer thin plot, execution becomes the key. Within the budget and sources, he crafted a film that doesn't really scream a message but subtlely asks us many questions, why two completely opposite spectrums of law, try to find humanity beyond the set parameters of society and rule books.

Positives:

Good writing

Performances of the cast

Apt score

Negatives:

Gets too subtle for some viewers taste

Few comedy sequences drag for length

Analysis::

Good films always leave you with thoughts that you will reflect at some stage or the other. Even a complete masala entertainer can leave you reflecting on your choices and the kind of words it spoke to you. But very few films touch your soul and make you reflect on the ideas put forth.

This is a movie where, Markandaya is saved by Siva from Yama not by force like we read in our childhood mythological stories but with compassion that even makes Markandeya weep for Yama, rather plead Lord to save him. Watch the movie to get entertained while your soul feels alive and pumping.