| Review: Vanaja |
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| August 2007 | |
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Domalpalli’s rebellious streak has paid off handsomely. The result: a vibrant film that addresses a serious topic in a realistic way. Set in rural South India, the story follows the life of 14-year-old Vanaja (Mamatha Bhukya), the daughter of a widower, Somayya (Ramachandriah Marikanti), who has serious debts and an alcohol problem. Bhukya lights up the screen from the first frame, as she looks longingly at Kuchipudi dancers and runs frantically on stage to capture a bell that’s come loose from one of the dancer’s anklets. The scene showcases Vanaja’s character, a fearless go-getter whose love for dance at times, it could be argued, clouds her better judgment. Vanaja, in hopes of helping keep her father afloat, goes to work for the local landlady, Rama Devi (Urmila Dammannagari), but not without an ulterior motive—she hopes to learn dance from her employer. Rama Devi is amused with Vanaja, and after some convincing (and mishandling of chickens), she takes the young girl under her wing, and it’s not long before Vanaja is performing in front of the village. Vanaja finds a comfortable place in Rama Devi’s home along with her cook, Radhamma (Krishnamma Gundimalla), and it would be ideal if Vanaja’s story ended there. But it doesn’t. Everything changes when Rama Devi’s 23-year-old son, Shekhar (Karan Singh), returns from the United States to get involved in local politics. Shekhar’s presence is at once intriguing and unsettling, as he goes out of his way to flex his muscles and make Vanaja self-conscious at any opportunity. But soon the flirtatious relationship takes an ugly turn, and the two are pit against one another.
Dance is at the heart of the story, as it is what draws Vanaja back to Rama Devi time and time again. It is also used to narrate the story and expose Vanaja’s emotions as well as help her deal with them. It’s hard to watch as all the men in Vanaja’s life—from her father to her “friend” Ram Babu (Krishna Garlapati)—exploit her, but the audience is hopeful that Vanaja’s strength will pull her through. The film tackles serious topics, but you’ll find that you’ll also be laughing out loud on more than one occasion, as Domalpalli has brought the humor of everyday life into the story. And while the ending is a positive one, I was hoping, after seeing Vanaja develop into an even stronger young woman, for something more. Vanaja opens in New York City Aug. 31 and in other cities throughout November. Visit www.vanajathefilm.com for further information and release dates in your city. Comments (0)
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The
odds were against writer, director and co-editor Rajnesh Domalpalli when he
started work on Vanaja as a film student at 
The
ability of the cast members to portray their roles is likely due to the fact
that none of them are actors. Domalpalli simply placed an ad for household
help, and the results were gems such as Dammannagari, who had to learn Carnatic
music for the role. Then there is Singh, who does a good job of making Shekhar
both socially awkward and just creepy, and, while the audience hates his
character for most of the film, it’s hard not to sympathize with his inner
battles. However, it is Bhukya’s role as Vanaja that steals the spotlight. It’s
interesting to note that she almost didn’t get the part, Domalpalli says,
because she had short hair, but it was her sweet singing voice (which you hear
in the film) that got Domalpalli hooked. In just 10 months, Bhukya learned to
dance and act, and, while she still has room to grow as an actress (her crying
scenes were at times a bit forced), she performs with ease. 
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