Prasthanam: Hats Off to Mr. Deva Katta

"A Solution may not be the end of a Problem; but the sole purpose of a Problem is always Solving." I do not know if this line or it's essence is a part of any of the numerous foretold philosophies or books; but this is exactly my understanding on the narrative used by Mr. Deva Katta in his latest venture, 'Prasthanam'. By choosing the 'first-understand-the-problem' mode of narration over the 'drive-to-the-solution-quickly' mode of narration, he put himself among those film-makers who have the patience to explain to the audience, than just impress them. No gimmicks, no tactics; this film is a fine example of pure, sensible story-telling.

At a story level, 'Prasthanam' does hold the basic Good Vs Bad conflict. Yet, I am amazed at how the film does not dwell into the cliched 'good kills bad' route. Thanks to the director, it effectively shows how the Bad loses and the Good triumphs. The narrative keeps the internal as well as external conflicts alive throughout the film. And as it approaches the Final Act, the drama poses enough intensity, enabling a pronounced impact during the last reels. "He, is a man, who has ego. He, is a strong man, who can control it. " Again, I do not know if this line exists in any foretold philosophy; but as much as I could understand, that's the summary of the story.

Flawless performances by all the actors (Sai Kumar, Sarvanand, Sundeep) and their effective rendition of well-written dialogues make this film entertaining. Technically, this film can boast of one of the best sound design in the Telugu cinema. Cinematography is top-notch, while the editing is brilliant. In one scene, after the character Chinna is killed at night, there is a perfect snap-cut to a morning shot. The impact of cut was simply awesome. And this night-to-day transition is used on each antagonist's death; even the climax. All kudos to the director and editor to use nature's phenomenon in the narrative.

The last serious drama in Telugu cinema that I found as effective was Sukumar's 'Jagadam'. As an ardent film admirer, I wish this film gets a chance to be shown with English subtitles at International film festivals. I feel, this film has enough potential to create a good image about Telugu cinema in the International film circuit; which in the long run, may even open bigger markets for Telugu cinema.