Cast: Balakrishna, Nayantara, KR Vijaya, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Srikanth
Director: Bapu
Rating: 3/5
Hey Ram...!
Will Balakrishna, who is known for high voltage action roles in commercial films, fit to the shoes of Lord Rama? Is Nayanthara, the glamdoll of south Indian cinema, right choice for the role of Goddess Seetha? The answers for all these much asked questions of the recent times are finally here. Yes is the only reply to all these queries. For, Sri Rama Rajyam, directed by Bapu, is not an entertainer but an epic based on Ramayana. The two major strengths of the film are Balakrishna and Nayantara who as Rama and Seetha respectively, make the audience emotional in many a scene.
There is no denial that the film is slow in parts. But then, there is no escape from that, since no imaginary content could be added to the epic which we have been reading and hearing for generations.
The movie starts when Rama (Balakrishna) returns to Ayodhya after the 'vanvasa' and battles with Ravana. As all is well, the golden ruler, who is an avatar of the Lord, comes to know that one of his citizens is doubtful about Seetha (Nayantara).
This makes Rama to send Seetha to forest again, where she gives birth to Lava and Kusha (two young actors steal the show in these roles). What follows is a battle between the father and the sons and the movie ends when Seetha goes back to Mother Earth.
It takes great courage to bring a mythological epic onto the silver screen and director Bapu should be lauded for his commendable job. He managed to extract just the right performances from the actors. The most delightful moment of the film is the climax battle shown between Lord Rama and his sons Luv & Kush which is very entertaining.
Balakrishna is excellent as Lord Rama. The son of legend NTR is as good as his father. The confusion and the trauma portrayed by the accomplished actor looks every bit first rate. Nayanatara as Seetha delivers goods. The way in which she carries the dignified role deserves applause. ANR as Valmiki is, again, remarkable. Srikanth as Lakshman is adequate. Vindoo Singh as Lord Anjaneya, Nagayya as sage Vasishta and KR Vijaya as Kousalya do justice to their respective roles. The kids who portrayed Luv and Kush deserve kudos.
Songs and background score by Ilayaraja is a major strength to the movie. Art work by Ravindra is excellent while cinematography by P R K Raju deserves high appreciation. On the whole, Sri Rama Rajyam is a jewel in the crown of Telugu cinema, which is suffering from commercial potboilers.