Dasara Review: Sprinkled with Moments of Brilliance!

Dasara, directed by Srikanth Odela, is a big-ticket entry for Nani, co-starring Keerthy Suresh and Dheekshith Shetty in the leads, with Shine Tom Chacko playing the antagonist. Set in the 1990s, the film takes place in Veerlapally, a tiny village next to the Singareni Collieries Company. And The plot revolves around Dharani and his two friends, Soori and Vennela, and their journey through the village’s caste-dividing politics and their complex relationship.

Starting with the positives, it’s worth noting that Dasara marks an impressive directorial debut for Srikanth Odela, with the technical aspects of the film being particularly noteworthy. Sathyan Sooryan’s cinematography is breathtaking, and the ambitious, highly precise set design is a visual feast on-screen, with wide panoramic shots – especially in the climax – adding to the spectacle. Additionally, the background score by Santhosh Narayanan, while not perfect, excels at the right moments.

And now, let’s talk about the cast! Nani and Keerthy Suresh gave an outstanding performance, nailing the body language, slang, and dialogue delivery of their characters. It’s clear that they put in a ton of effort and hard work, and their performances truly shine in the film’s standout scenes. Dheekshith Shetty and Shine Tom Chacko were equally impressive, with Shetty carrying his character with aplomb in his first major Tollywood film. All in all, the performances of the primary cast were remarkable and added to the film’s appeal.

Despite all the hype surrounding Dasara, a few drawbacks prevented it from living up to its full potential. To begin with, director Srikanth Odela tackled numerous social issues in the movie, such as the caste divisions within the village, the impact of liquor on housewives, and the liquor ban in the 1980s. However, despite the director’s best efforts, these talking points were not conveyed as effectively as they could have been and left me underwhelmed.

At the crux of Dasara lies the core theme of friendship between Dharani and Soori, but regrettably, the film fails to do justice to this vital element. The underdeveloped treatment of this theme results in a lack of emotional depth, leaving me disconnected from the characters on a profound level. Even the antagonist, Chinna Nambi, fails to strike a powerful emotional chord. In contrast, movies like Sukumar’s Rangasthalam and Pushpa, with their comparable backdrops, expertly established well-defined roles and ignited the audience’s investment in the characters. And when compared, Dasara pales in comparison in this regard.

But as far as Nani’s character goes, I found it to be a refreshing departure from the typical one-dimensional protagonists we often see in commercial films. His character had multiple layers, a well-defined arc, and a coming-of-age element that made him exciting to watch. Initially, he’s portrayed as a heavy alcoholic who uses drinking to cope with his fears and pain. However, as the storyline progressed, I was impressed with his change into a brave, no-nonsense man who refuses to tolerate any idiocy from others. Perhaps that is precisely why the second half appealed to me more once I understood the characters’ motivations.

Despite some standout moments in Dasara, I couldn’t help but feel that the film fell short in several key areas. In my view, many of the issues I highlighted ultimately boiled down to a lack of execution, primarily the screenplay. While the film undoubtedly had a lot of potential on paper – with its stunning rustic setting, exploration of complex social issues, and unique romantic storyline – director Odela struggled to fully bring these elements to life on the big screen.

The movie showcased technical and performance brilliance at certain moments, but it lacked a crucial element – building emotion and drama. Relying solely on slow-motion action scenes was not enough to carry the film. Nevertheless, Dasara is still worth watching, and my critical assessment is only due to the excessive hype surrounding it.

‘Dasara’ Rating – 3/5

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