dasara movie review indian express

Dasara: A surprising reimagination of mass cinema

The coveted pan-India label is used loosely in Indian cinema, and culturally rooted stories that are infused with larger-than-life heroism seem to be the go-to themes for such films. Nani’s Dasara had the potential to become the next big pan-Indian film originating from the Telugu states. In fact, it starts off as a compendium of multiple pan-India films. Veerlapalli, the hamlet Dasara is set in is abutted by coal mines and the thick layer of black dust everywhere takes you back to the mines of KGF.

We see Dharani (Nani) make a living with his friends by pilfering coal from moving trains, with his parkour jumps reminiscent of the action choreography in Pushpa. At the heart of Dasara is the jigri dosti of Soori (Dheekshith Shetty) and Dharani and there are no points for guessing which recent successful Telugu film comes to mind when we talk of male friendship.

However, what makes Dasara a film that truly expands the definitions of what passes off as a pan-India film is director Srikanth Odela’s unique and rousing voice that ensures the film assuredly dodges comparisons. There are a lot of ‘a-ha, I got you!’ moments in the film that makes us smile thinking of how quick we were to judge Dasara as just a byproduct of the successes of a KGF/RRR/Pushpa/Kantara, and not as a highly effective, and deeply engrossing mass entertainer that is its own beast.

Alcohol is the primary leitmotif of Dasara’s first half, which is used to establish the caste and power dynamics of Veerlapally. We see how the stronghold of Shivanna (a buck-toothed Samuthirakani) shifts to Rajanna (Sai Kumar), creating a ripple effect in the lives of Dharani, Soori, and Vennela (Keerthy Suresh). It is beautiful how Dharani, Soori, and Vennela form a subversive love triangle, which has a refreshing eschewal of jealousy that paves the way for a tender gaze on male vulnerability.

Srikanth Odela’s vision finds a perfect match in Nani’s acting prowess, as the actor lays his heart bare in scene after scene to heartbreaking effect. This vulnerability is used as a platform from which the film makes giant strides in the second half where the plot steadily burgeons into mythical proportions, which is kickstarted by a bone-chilling interval banger that injects adrenaline into the proceedings and gives Dasara a new sense of urgency.

Dasara, at its core, is the coming-of-age story of Dharani, who suffers a personal tragedy before taking up the cudgels for a righteous fight. Unlike the usual big-ticket revenge sagas, where rage and violence are de rigueur, Dasara actually makes way for a debate on the necessity of violence. Though the film quickly resumes the originally scheduled plan of bloodshed, it was an interesting detour nonetheless. Srikanth shows glimpses of being a filmmaker who wants to reinvent masala cinema, and he starts off by changing the way the genre generally treats its women.

Keerthy Suresh gets a great role, of a woman who goes from being confident and sassy to one coming to grips with a tragedy. Poorna, who plays the role of Chinna Nambi’s wife is an interesting casting choice as she makes an impact despite her limited presence. But the same can’t be said of Shine Tom Chacko, who isn’t supported by the writing, which gives him poorly dubbed, expository lines that only make him less scary with every line.

The place where Dasara truly succeeds is in the makers’ attention to detail. Visuals of hooch and mutton curry, displayed as hallmarks of Telangana culture feature prominently, and the presence of people with dwarfism is a depressing but pertinent detail thrown in to show the congenital issues people living amidst coal mines are susceptible to. It is a world cut from the cloth of reality, of lived experiences and memories finding their way from the script to screen.

However, the film does falter a bit with some creative choices, and the discord between writing and editing. Why should a weapon have the visual of a villain superimposed upon it when the film’s strength lies in its subtlety and strong emotions?

What truly is the takeaway from Nani’s Dasara is the voice of a potentially important filmmaker. The pre-interval action sequence and the portions involving Dharani and Vennela’s marriage are resounding proof of Srikanth Odela being the real deal. Of course, there are places where he needs to pick up the slack, especially in the staging of the action sequences among others.  But points to Srikanth for developing a core and a narrative that rises above its shortcomings and manages to create a visceral, immersive experience where the sum of the emotions elicited prove to be larger than its moving parts.

Film: Dasara Director: Srikanth Odela Cast: Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Dheekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko Rating: 4/5

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Dasara Movie Review: Fiery Nani is brilliant in this predictable revenge drama

Director srikanth odela's dasara, starring nani, keerthy suresh and deekshit shetty, is a visually stunning revenge drama. with some clichés, dasara has its heart in the right place, says our review..

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• Nani's Dasara graced the screens on March 30.
• The film is directed by Sirkanth Odela.
• Keerthy Suresh, Deekshit Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko and Samuthirakani play pivotal roles.

Release Date: 30 Mar, 2023

Nani has been everywhere for the past few weeks. Be it promotional events or social media, he went all out in promoting Dasara as a pan-Indian venture. When the trailer of Dasara dropped, many felt that it reminded them of Pushpa and KGF. However, Dasara was neither Pushpa nor it was KGF. It had Srikanth Odela’s stamp despite the predictable storyline.

Dharani (Nani), Suri (Deekshit Shetty) and Vennela (Keerthy Suresh) are childhood friends. They hail from a village called Veerapally, where men take the bottle. Their alcoholism affects the women in their lives. Dharani and Suri are best friends. So much so that Dharani will give up his love for Vennela, who is in love with Suri. As Suri and Vennela take their relationship to the next level, it does not go down well with Chinna Nambi (Shine Tom Chacko). The village, where coal mining is a way of life, is divided because of Rajanna (Sai Kumar) and Shivanna (Samuthirakani).

Srikanth Odela is a debutant filmmaker, but he is a promising talent. With Dasara, he has built a semi-fictional world and has successfully transported us to the village of Veerapally. He shows Dharani as a vulnerable underdog. For a hero, he cries on screen, has no bladder control and shakes up in fear when trouble knocks on the door. In contrast, Suri, his friend, is his strength. While Dharani is naïve, Suri is practical. Meanwhile, there’s a feisty Vennela, who is a breath of fresh air.

Dasara is a film that relies on its drama. Srikanth Odela is in no hurry to dive into the story the right way. In fact, it looks like he knew he had a predictable storyline in hand and decided to build a world around it so he could create an immersive experience for everyone. Dasara has so many layers. The film talks about women and how they are exploited, rampant caste politics and superstition.

While the world-building, and characterisations of the lead roles and music make Dasara enjoyable, certain tropes hold the viewers back from completely enjoying this brilliantly shot revenge drama. In a scene, Dharani takes a decision which affects Vennela’s life. However, Dasara has another scene where Vennela questions whether she has a say in her life because she was never asked! And the hyper-masculine hero apologises.

The power dynamics in the village of Veerapally keep you hooked. However, some of the initial stretches of Dasara could test your patience. Nani’s Dharani holds back for the most part of the film, while Deekshit as Suri takes the cake. It is probably because of this that the interval sequence leaves you in a state of shock.

Nani is the soul of Dasara. From expressing his vulnerabilities to crying his heart out and emoting in silence, he has given his career-best performance. Keerthy, too, has a meaty role in the film. It is actually Suri who stole the show with his effortless acting.

Something that Srikanth Odela could have worked on is the characterisation of the villain, Shine Tom Chacko. It treads on a wafer-thin line and after a point, it does not create an impact.

Santhosh Narayanan’s music and Sathyan Sooryan’s visuals make Dasara what it is. The film could remind you of Dhanush’s Asuran and Rishab Shetty’s Kantara. While the film deals with a predictable story, it does have enough meat to hold onto its own.

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Dasara movie review: Nani film is a familiar but riveting tale of friendship and revenge

Dasara movie review: while the nani-starrer uses every trick in the book, it succeeds in sucking you into a world you haven’t experienced before..

Nani’s Dasara, like its recent counterparts like Rangasthalam (2018) and Narappa (2021), is a very familiar tale about the ugly side of caste politics. The familiarity also seeps into the fashion in which it narrates a tale of friendship and revenge. Nevertheless, the film still manages to leave you in awe, thanks to the world it’s set in and how debutant Odella Srikanth presents it. It’s deeply rooted setting and how Srikanth manages to transport the viewer to a never seen before milieu of coal-laden hamlet that really works in the film’s favour.

The story is set in a small village called Veerlapalli, which is surrounded by coal mines. Nani plays Dharani, whose life revolves around his best friend Suri (Dheekshith) and his gang of friends. In their introduction sequence, we see the gang pull off a daredevil stunt by stealing coal from a moving train. In this village, drinking is a tradition, a way of life and the local bar is a place where all the men conglomerate to waste time. The bar, which is reserved for the upper caste men, is the place where power as well caste dynamics come into play.

Men from the lower caste drink outside and wouldn’t dare to set foot inside. When Suri and Dharani unknowingly become responsible for a shift in the power dynamics involving the bar, they cross paths with men – Samuthirakani and Shine Tom Chacko - from the most powerful family in the village. The repercussions that both Suri and Dharani have to face for their actions forms the crux of the story.

Dasara pretty much uses every trick that’s been used before when it comes to such stories. However, it still manages to leave a strong impact because of how it succeeds in sucking you into a world you haven’t experienced before. Veerlapalli is carefully built with characters that are full of life. Unlike Pushpa or KGF, this isn’t a story that rides on the hero’s bravado.

In fact, for a good 60-70 percent of the film, Nani plays a character that’s mostly scared out of his wits and he takes solace in alcohol to swallow his fear. Throughout the first half, Nani can be actually seen standing behind Suri. When the transformation happens at a crucial juncture of the film, Srikanth has spent a great deal of time in building Nani’s character. Hence, when his moment of uprising comes, we buy into the transformation.

Dasara does try and get massy towards the end. But the predictability doesn’t come across as a major grouse as the slow world-building really helps in keeping the viewer invested right till the end. Two of the film’s best moments come in the form of extremely well-choreographed action set pieces right before the interval and during the finale portion.

The interval action sequence is so well shot that it infuses a deep sense of shock and fear in the viewer, pushing one to the edge of their seat. Nani turns in such a believable performance and he sells his quest for revenge so convincingly. Keerthy Suresh once again proves why she’s one of the best mainstream actresses we have today with her effortless performance. Sathyan Sooryan’s visuals play a pivotal role in making Dasara not just eye-catchy but highly immersive in every frame.

Film: Dasara

Director: Odella Srikanth

Cast: Nani, Dheekshith Shetty, Keerthy Suresh, Shine Tom Chacko, Samuthirakani and Sai Kumar

• Keerthy Suresh
• Movie Review

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entertainment

Dasara Movie Review: Nani, Keerthy Suresh Shine In Raw, Rustic Revenge Drama

Updated Mar 30, 2023, 15:33 IST

Nani's still from latest film Dasara (Image Credit: IMDb)

• Cast: Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Deekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chaco, Zarina Wahab, Sai Kumar
• Director: Srikanth Odela
• Critics rating: 3/5

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• Focus on Story

Dasara Review: A De-Glammed Nani Makes Film A High-Voltage Affair

Dasara review: even in the most melodramatic of moments, keerthy suresh retains control of her faculties and the scene..

Cast: Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Dheekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko and Samuthirakani

Director: Srikanth Odela

Rating : Three stars (out of 5)

Popular movies often fall prey to the second half curse. The power-packed and engaging Dasara , directed and co-written by first-timer Srikanth Odela, does not. It treats its first half essentially as a springboard for a successful post-interval leap to a meaningfully higher plane. And that is where the film stays perched all the way to an impressively executed finale.

Other significant attributes set the Telugu-language film apart from blockbusters like Baahubali and Pushpa . Its exploration of entrenched caste dynamics, bitter political rivalries and debilitating social ills in a coal mining village in Telangana pushes it closer to Tamil films from the Pa. Ranjith, Vetrimaaran and Mari Selvaraj stables.

Dasara remains steadfastly within the parameters of mass-oriented cinema and employs familiar Ramayan -centric analogies to carry the story forward. It still manages to break free at crucial junctures from its stylistic inspirations to dress an old, even perhaps trite, construct in fresh, eye-catching attire.

Dasara is a rustic love story-cum-bromance dovetailed into a revenge drama with a strong emotional underpinning. The composite is presented with a directorial vision that suggests that Odela could, and should, produce works of greater originality and distinction. This film testifies to his skill - and the vision - to tap massy, easy to grasp methods to tell important stories.

The denuded landscape reflects the state of the lives that Dasara depicts. The film is set in Veerlapally village, a speck on the map. It is a place that swarms with men who drink themselves silly and the women bear the brunt of their unruliness. At the centre of the village is a bar - it is named after Silk Smitha - that is out of bounds for all but upper caste drunks.

The narrative straddles a decade and a half from mid-1995, the final year of NT Rama Rao's third term as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, to 2010. The film's two principal male characters - Dharani (Nani) and Soori (Deekshith Shetty) - pilfer coal from running goods trains when they are not sloshed.

They are in love with the same girl, Vennela (Keerthi Suresh). The three have been friends since childhood. The altruistic Nani, who is meek-natured and believes in staying off confrontations, steps back and lets his best friend profess his love to the girl.

Several years on, the love triangle is aggravated by unseemly power politics between Rajanna (Saikumar) and Shivanna (Samuthirakarani), two half-brothers at war for control of the village and the bar. The latter has a son, Nambi (Shine Tom Jacob), whose aggression triggers a tragedy at the film's halfway mark.

A blood-curdling act of violence throws Dharani's life into disarray. He is a cowering mess until he gathers the courage to plan a retaliation. The timid, responsibility-shirking man is forced to make a choice between being resigned to his fate and taking a stand.

The first half, expended on creating a context for what is follow, takes its own time to pick up momentum. Parts of it meander a tad and even feel somewhat wayward. But the turning point just ahead of the interval gives the deliberate and staccato pace a rationale.

The troubles that confront Dharani, whose name means Earth, Soori (meaning Sun) and Vennela (alluding to the Moon) are caused by one man. The villain's motives are hackneyed and the threats that he makes spring from the power that he wields on account of his political and caste clout.

One wishes Dasara had pushed the caste divide envelope a little further and also stressed upon the relationship between the three main characters with some more clarity in terms of its wider societal implications. Is it possible that Dharani's suppression of his love for Vennela has something to do with where he stands in the caste hierarchy? The film does not raise that question, let alone devote a minute or two to answer it.

Another point at which Dasara slips up a touch is in the manner in which the key female character is deprived of agency when it comes to deciding her own future? Dasara makes amends of sorts when the woman demands an explanation why her consent wasn't sought before a life-altering choice was made on her behalf. The man spells out why he did what he did. While his defence of his action isn't entirely convincing, his apology is.

In the matter of plotting and pacing, Dasara isn't perfect, but Sathyan Sooryan's lensing and lighting and Santhosh Narayanan's lush and phenomenally effective musical score are both of the highest order. The latter lends the film a propulsive rhythm with its blend of the earthy and the electronic.

Sooryan's camerawork creates a palette that alternates between the inky and the auburn and is skilfully illuminated by the muted glow of non-electrical sources of light.

A de-glammed Nani makes Dasara a high-voltage affair. The screenplay and his own acumen allow him to ease himself into the character arc and capture the man's evolution from a feckless, evasive youth to a man of action after fifteen Dasara celebrations have come and gone with him letting his life drift aimlessly.

Dasara also gives Keerthy Suresh a wide range of emotions to convey. Even in the most melodramatic of moments, she retains control of her faculties and the scene. Deekshith Shetty operates within a more limited bandwidth but makes a lasting impression. On the flip side, the force of evil that Shine Tom Chacko embodies does not convey the requisite menace.

The rousing climax is invested with great power in term of of both visualisation and execution. The weapons used in the final act as well as earlier in the film tell their own story. To begin with, the villain's henchmen wield sharp scythes and sickles, which are farming appliances-turned-arms.

In the violent climactic clash culminates in tree-cutting axes, digging shovels and rock-breaking hammers making an appearance - a not-so-subliminal metaphor for a once agricultural community that has been forced into mining as a way of life.

A few wobbles notwithstanding, Dasara is a triumph because it achieves a delicate balance between the flashy and the essential and, in the process, delivers a piece of highly dramatic fiction that frequently seems to have emerged from the real world.

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Dasara Movie Review: A surprising reimagination of mass cinema

Rating: ( 4 / 5).

The coveted pan-India label is used loosely in Indian cinema, and culturally rooted stories that are infused with larger-than-life heroism seem to be the go-to themes for such films. Nani's Dasara had the potential to become the next big pan-Indian film originating from the Telugu states. In fact, it starts off as a compendium of multiple pan-India films. Veerlapalli, the hamlet Dasara is set in is abutted by coal mines and the thick layer of black dust everywhere takes you back to the mines of KGF. We see Dharani ( Nani) make a living with his friends by pilfering coal from moving trains, with his parkour jumps reminiscent of the action choreography in Pushpa. At the heart of Dasara is the jigri dosti of Soori (Dheekshith Shetty) and Dharani and there are no points for guessing which recent successful Telugu film comes to mind when we talk of male friendship. However, what makes Dasara a film that truly expands the definitions of what passes off as a pan-India film is director Srikanth Odela's unique and rousing voice that ensures the film assuredly dodges comparisons. There are a lot of 'a-ha, I got you!' moments in the film that makes us smile thinking of how quick we were to judge Dasara as just a byproduct of the successes of a KGF/RRR/Pushpa/Kantara , and not as a highly effective, and deeply engrossing mass entertainer that is its own beast.

Director - Srikanth Odela Cast - Nani, Keerthy Suresh, Dheekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko Alcohol is the primary leitmotif of Dasara’s first half, which is used to establish the caste and power dynamics of Veerlapally. We see how the stronghold of Shivanna (a buck-toothed Samuthirakani) shifts to Rajanna (Sai Kumar), creating a ripple effect in the lives of Dharani, Soori, and Vennela (Keerthy Suresh). It is beautiful how Dharani, Soori, and Vennela form a subversive love triangle, which has a refreshing eschewal of jealousy that paves the way for a tender gaze on male vulnerability. Srikanth Odela’s vision finds a perfect match in Nani’s acting prowess, as the actor lays his heart bare in scene after scene to heartbreaking effect. This vulnerability is used as a platform from which the film makes giant strides in the second half where the plot steadily burgeons into mythical proportions, which is kickstarted by a bone-chilling interval banger that injects adrenaline into the proceedings and gives Dasara a new sense of urgency. Dasara , at its core, is the coming-of-age story of Dharani, who suffers a personal tragedy before taking up the cudgels for a righteous fight. Unlike the usual big-ticket revenge sagas, where rage and violence are de rigueur, Dasara actually makes way for a debate on the necessity of violence. Though the film quickly resumes the originally scheduled plan of bloodshed, it was an interesting detour nonetheless. Srikanth shows glimpses of being a filmmaker who wants to reinvent masala cinema, and he starts off by changing the way the genre generally treats its women. Keerthy Suresh gets a great role, of a woman who goes from being confident and sassy to one coming to grips with a tragedy. Poorna, who plays the role of Chinna Nambi’s wife is an interesting casting choice as she makes an impact despite her limited presence. But the same can't be said of Shine Tom Chacko, who isn't supported by the writing, which gives him poorly dubbed, expository lines that only make him less scary with every line. The place where Dasara truly succeeds is in the makers' attention to detail. Visuals of hooch and mutton curry, displayed as hallmarks of Telangana culture feature prominently, and the presence of people with dwarfism is a depressing but pertinent detail thrown in to show the congenital issues people living amidst coal mines are susceptible to. It is a world cut from the cloth of reality, of lived experiences and memories finding their way from the script to screen. However, the film does falter a bit with some creative choices, and the discord between writing and editing. Why should a weapon have the visual of a villain superimposed upon it when the film's strength lies in its subtlety and strong emotions? What truly is the takeaway from Nani's Dasara is the voice of a potentially important filmmaker. The pre-interval action sequence and the portions involving Dharani and Vennela’s marriage are resounding proof of Srikanth Odela being the real deal. Of course, there are places where he needs to pick up the slack, especially in the staging of the action sequences among others. But points to Srikanth for developing a core and a narrative that rises above its shortcomings and manages to create a visceral, immersive experience where the sum of the emotions elicited prove to be larger than its moving parts.

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Dasara Review: Nani's Swag Is Unbeatable, Top-Notch Climax Sequence Will Give You Goosebumps

• Chirag Sehgal
• Bhawna Arya

Nani's much-awaited film Dasara is finally in theatres but is it worth watching? Read our review here.

Telugu superstar Nani’s much-awaited film Dasara is finally in theatres. Produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri and Srikanth Chundi and directed by debutant Odella Srikanth, the film also stars Keerthy Suresh, Dheekshith Shetty, Shine Tom Chacko, Samuthirakani and Sai Kumar in key roles.

The film revolves around a boy named Dharani and is a story of love, heartbreak, friendship, and revenge.

The first scene of Dasara might remind you of Yash starrer KGF. While KGF revolved around gold mines, Dasara’s introduction scene establishes that the film is based in a village where people earn their living because of a coal mine. However, there aren’t similarities between Dasara and KGF.

Next, the film might give you an impression that it will be like RRR. While some might compare Dharani and Suri’s friendship to that of Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem from SS Rajamouli film, as the film progresses, you realize that there aren’t any similarities.

Nani is amazing in what he does. He is a treat to watch and it would not be wrong the say that the superstar is the backbone of the film. He plays his part with utmost ease and perfection. He has a swag and it is unbeatable. When you walk out of the theatre, you’ll miss Nani as Dharani. Nani’s physical look in Dasara might also remind you of Allu Arjun in Pushpa: The Rise. In several scenes, the two look very similar. However, Nani has also been given less screentime and dialogues in the first half of the film which might leave his fans a little disappointed.

There are also hints of Nani’s character Dharani being bisexual. He is overprotective and extremely caring towards his friend, Suri. Even though he says that he likes Vennela, he leaves her because of Suri. He tries hard to get Suri a job. For him, Suri’s happiness is of utmost importance. However, it should also be noted that nothing has been explicitly said or shown regarding Dharani being bisexual.

Keerthy Suresh is good at whatever she does but nothing extraordinary. She is a bundle of energy and bravery in the first half of the film. However, her character completely transforms in the second half. It has nothing to do with Keerthy as an actor but was rather the demand of the script.

However, Keerthy’s dance in the film is a treat to watch. Whether it was the Dhoom Dhaam song or the baraat scene, Keerthy Suresh dances her heart out and compels the audience to tap their feet too.

What Dasara lacks is a strong storyline. The film’s plot is very predictable and offers nothing new or extraordinary for the audience. What also looks a lot forced in the film are its songs. They don’t fit well and divert our attention from the seriousness of the movie. The film also has several gory scenes which might be difficult for some to watch. Even the title of the film, Dasara is justified very late in the movie.

But it is the climax of the film that will give you goosebumps and is worth watching. It is a complete package. Besides Nani’s killer expressions and top-notch action sequences, it is a visual treat too. The makers create magic on screen with this never-seen-before climax and it is worth all the wait. Pat on the back of cinematographers too!

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A brutal act sends an irresponsible small-time criminal on a mission of revenge. A brutal act sends an irresponsible small-time criminal on a mission of revenge. A brutal act sends an irresponsible small-time criminal on a mission of revenge.

• Srikanth Odela
• Thota Srinivas
• Keerthy Suresh
• Shine Tom Chacko
• 73 User reviews
• 17 Critic reviews
• 12 wins & 13 nominations

Top cast 13

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Did you know

• Trivia Film payed tribute to Silk Smitha throughout the film her hand made poster was seen in the local bar of village which was named as Silk bar.

Dharani : Bloody hell!

• Soundtracks Dhoom Dhaam Dhosthaan Music by Santhosh Narayanan Lyrics by Shyam Kasarla Performed by Rahul Sipligunj , Gotte Kanakavva, Gannora Dasa Laxmi, Palamuru Jangireddy, Narsanna (Nalgonda Gaddar), Shyam Kasarla Duration: 4:02

User reviews 73

Poor story and content.

• Apr 28, 2023
• How long is Dasara? Powered by Alexa
• March 31, 2023 (United States)
• Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• Runtime 2 hours 36 minutes

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