Period films back in vogue

Period films - a forgotten genre not only staged a comeback, it has changed the narratives of Telugu cinema in recent times

Telugu cinema and its audience are suckers for star power. They like the lead in the movie to be larger than life. This often leads writers and directors to come out with movies extolling virtues of the lead, building his superhuman status thereby leaving the story wafer-thin.

However, it has to be said that experimenting with plot lines and narratives has begun in Telugu cinema, albeit less in number. In the process of experimenting with plot lines, movies with period stories came to the fore, with many stars evincing their interest to be part of such films.

Much of the star interest in the period films is down to the critical and commercial success of the films. “It is a difficult task to recreate the time and period, which today’s generation did not live and experience,” admits actor Rana Daggubati, who was a part of two period films, ‘The Ghazi Attack’ (2017) and ‘Rudramadevi’ (2015).

Both the films are a critical and commercial success. The actor, who plays evil Bhallaladeva in SS Rajamouli’s two-part magnum opus – ‘Baahubali’, in an interview says, “It's the intrigue of fairy tales and fantasy, a penchant for history, legends and even superheroes that will never die, perhaps and it may be the reason for the success of period films.”

Of late, the period films have struck more than a chord with the audience. The success of films like Krish’s ‘Gautamiputra Satakarni’ (2017) and ‘Kanche’ (2015) Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Vangaveeti’ (2016) have established that audience love to be transported back in time to the era they did not live.

Telugu cinema’s tryst with period films goes back to the early ages of the cinema. Mostly, lives of philosophers and poets were the plot lines for period films back then. Movies like Nagaiah’s ‘Vemana’ (1947), ‘Tyagayya’ (1946) and ‘Bhakta Potana’ (1942) serve as the best examples of period movies of the early ages.

Later in the 50s, writers explored love stories in the times of ruling of successful dynasties and films like ‘Malleswari’ (1951) (Sri Krishnadeva Raya) and ‘Anarkali’ (1955) (Akbar) stand as examples. However, as time passed by, not many period films were made and this was down to the fact that one has spent a lot to achieve the look of the period set up, they were invariably big budget affairs.

It was almost a forgotten genre for a good period of three decades, barring a few handful of films. It wasn’t until Raghavendra Rao’s ‘Annamayya’ (1997) the genre was revisited. Despite ‘Annamayya’s stellar success not many makers ventured into the territory.

It was again Raghavendra Rao, who made ‘Sri Ramadasu’ nearly after a decade in 2006. Post-2010 many films with period set ups are being experimented and most of them have tasted critical and commercial success.

With the success of the genre, in the recent times, a few more movies are in the pipeline. Chiranjeevi will be essaying the role of Uyyalavada Narasimha Reddy in the eponymous film to be helmed by Surender Reddy. Ramcharan’s next, helmed by Sukumar is also said to be a love story set in 80s.

With stars lapping to the genre, one can expect that the genre is here to stay and many more films to come.