Godavari(2006)
Godavari is Shekhar Kammula's most under appreciated movie IMO. Maybe the fact that it was not as big a success as Anand, Happy Days or Fidaa. And the year it got released, was overshadowed by Pokiri and Bommarilu.
I actually liked this more than Anand, which still had some rough edges, here Kammula smoothens out most, giving a movie, that is both a charming love story and a life lesson, without getting too preachy. And the strength here is the two main characters.
Sriram( Sumanth) is an idealist, who wants to get into politics and serve people, but finds that no one has takers for his ideals. Though he loves his cousin Raji( Neetu Chandra), her father does not accept it, due to what he sees are his rather impractical ideals.
Raji on the other hand is engaged to an IPS officer Ravi( Kamal Kamaraju), and Sriram joins the family on the boat trip to Bhadrachalam, from Rajahmundry. And that is where he meets Sita( Kamalinee Mukherjee), a fashion designer, with an independent bent of mind, who is not to keen on getting married. When a match is called off by the groom to be, as they feel she is too "fast", she decides to go on the same boat journey.
Both Sriram and Sita here, are essentially rebels, seeking their own identity in a world, not going down the conventional path. And that explains the slowly growing bond between them, and the mutual attraction they feel for each other. The song "Manasa Vaacha" beautifully explains this.
There is a scene, when the rather egoistic Ravi, berates Sriram's supposed lack of ambition, and how he hangs out with the "Alaga Janam"( lower classes). And Sita defends him saying maybe that is what he really finds hapiness in. That scene shows the bonding between them, how they feel the empathy for each other.
The moments between Sriram and Sita, are beautifully etched too, playful at times, argumentative, yearning, its the kind of love story where you root for both of them. And both Sumanth, Kamalinee have a wonderful chemistry on screen.
What I really loved about this was the world building that Kammula does, in fleshing out the supporting characters. Be it the boat captain Chintamani( Thanikella Bharani), and his relationship with Pulletla Pulamma( Karate Kalyani), who in turn is protective of her younger brother. And the kid Chinna, who has to bear with a drunkard father, a mentally ill mother and sells balloons to earn a living. The fortune teller Chilaka Ramudu, the cook Veeraiah who is actually on the run from police, and above all the stray dog Kotigadu.
Kammula creates an entirely different world of the people on the boat, distinct from the world of Sriram and Janaki. And the bonding between Sriram and Chinna is well depicted too.
Sumanth is not really suited for the typical mass masala movies, but give him a role like this, and he pulls it off really well.
To me this is Kamalinee's best performance to date, Sita is one of the finest female characters created in Telugu cinema, strong, independent, one who stands up for the person she loves. And Kamalinee pulls of the role really well.
Though Raji is quite a stereotypical maradalu role, Neetu Chandra does a fairly good job, especially when she finds that she loves Sriram more than her fiance. Kamal Kamaraju is good as the egoistic, self centered Ravi.
The supporting cast are excellent, be it Bharani as the boat captain, Kalyani as Pulletla Pullamma, the kid playing Chinna.
This movie has one of the best soundtracks ever, be it the title song, Manasa Vacha, Andam gaa Lena, Rama Chakkani, all memorable songs to date. The camera work by Vijay Kumar captures the scenic locales of Godavari River, Papikondalu quite well.
Godavari is that kind of leisurely paced, genteel love story, which you just sit back and savor on a lazy summer.