Sri simply cannot? Nah, Sri can do anything! De taali! – Further than Bollywood

Dreaming massive doesn’t have to have vision it demands fantastic eyesight. Rajkummar Rao and director Tushar Hiranandani honor Srikanth’s lifestyle philosophy. The movie subtly portrays Srikanth Bolla’s frustration with men and women hyphenating his deficiency of vision with his good results.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( 3 / 5)

Srikanth [2024]

By Mayur Lookhar

A modest gentleman from the fields of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) is overjoyed at turning out to be a father. He comes at his humble abode, brimming with enjoyment. Holding the baby in his arms, he proudly declares that he’s naming him immediately after the swashbuckling Indian cricketer Srikkanth. Nonetheless, he can not comprehend why the loved ones is so silent. A single relatives member urges him to search at the boy or girl 1st, and that is when it dawns on the lousy man that his baby boy is born blind. (For the history, the common Indian cricketer had experienced injury to one eye right after currently being struck by a bouncer from the wonderful Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram).

In a fit of sorrow, the inebriated father is on the verge of burying his new child but is persuaded by the distraught mom to halt. A few yrs afterwards, he’s taunted by a village bully who jeers, predicting that all he’ll at any time do in daily life is beg. Many years later on, Srikanth (Rajkummar Rao) is expelled from a local faculty for the blind, thrown on to the avenue with his walking adhere snatched absent. It’s only in these poignant moments that you come across on your own tearing up a bit.

Right before the launch, Rao and Srikanth Bolla experienced designed it clear that this film is not about deficiency of vision, but about a man with terrific eyesight. How do Srikanth and his friends perceive their deficiency of eyesight? There is a recurring theme throughout distinct eras that certainly enlightens the viewers. First, when a younger Srikanth arrives at the community school for the blind, the place a senior asks if he is absolutely blind. He nods, and in response comes the uplifting remark, “De taali” (clap palms). These scenes are echoed decades afterwards when Srikanth welcomes two blind twin boys to the college, eliciting applause both on and off the display.

Srikanth Bolla

So, if these particular beings really don’t view them selves negatively, why should really we mere mortals disrespect them by demonstrating sympathy? That is the pretty essence of Srikanth, the movie. Industrialist Srikanth Bolla’s success story is nicely etched, but director Tushar Hiranandani and his writers Jagdeep Siddhu and Sumit Purohit subtly weave in Srikanth Bolla’s irritation at nevertheless remaining empathized for his absence of eyesight. Not that Bolla is trying to find any validation, but most mere mortals lack the foresight to seem further than Bolla’s blindness, frequently hyphenating it with his daily life-achievement tale.

“Don’t put blind religion in us. Hum aapko bechke khajayenge (We will offer you off),” Srikanth remarks cheekily. He also reminds us all not to hope any dua (blessings) by assisting the Srikanths of the environment. The very best factor you can do for them is merely deal with them as usual beings and supply equal alternatives.

Apparently, Srikanth’s stress mounts more pursuing his good results, top to strained interactions with his dear types, notably his greatest close friend and small business husband or wife Ravi [Sharad Kelkar]. His girlfriend Swathi [Alaya F] is unimpressed by his mistreatment of Ravi, his financier Venugopal Rao, and his slight distancing from his mentor-trainer Devika [Jyotika]. Such revelations are normally glossed over in Bollywood biopics.

Hiranandani’s before performs, Saand Ki Aankh [2019] and Rip-off 2003 [2023], attest to his aversion to hagiography. From hurting his beloved ones, Mahesh, his childhood bully, to being swayed by neighborhood political assistance at a person issue, Hiranandani asserts that each aspect proven in the movie is genuine. It is what sets Srikanth apart as a biopic, portraying not just his accomplishment, but also his willingness to confront his flaws, making it distinct from common Bollywood hagiographies.

Rajkummar Rao

In a movie where absence of eyesight is not noticed as a weakness, judging Rajkummar Rao’s portrayal of blindness would be futile. A lot of hurry into comparisons, specially recalling Patty Duke’s Academy Award-winning portrayal of Helen Keller in The Miracle Employee [1962]. Al Pacino, who won an Oscar for Scent of a Female [1992], is also remembered. Vittorio Gassmann acquired the David Di Donatello award for Greatest Actor and also garnered acclaim at Cannes for his part in the original movie Profumo di donna [1974].

Rani Mukerji’s functionality in Black (2005) is regarded as an anomaly. These types of roles ended up rarely explored, with disabilities typically addressed humorously in comedy films or, in the situation of really serious Bollywood drama, actors would hide driving dark shades, which came off as pretentious. It wasn’t till Kumud Mishra’s tour de power in the unheralded movie Nazar Andaaz (2022) that the perspective around these kinds of figures in Hindi entertainment started to improve.

Rao ditches the shades absolutely and wears blind prosthetic lenses all over the film. For Rao, it was only purely natural to engage in an Andhra-dependent character. The acclaimed actor does nicely in bringing out the vision of Srikanth Bolla. Regardless of whether it is junior college or university principal, or the local attorney in court docket, Rao is notably extraordinary in winning about the Doubting Thomases. He doesn’t mock the naysayers but merely employs Srikanth’s wit to open their eyes. “Aa raha hai sabki aankhen kholne” (He is coming to open everyone’s eyes). Isn’t that the film’s motto? Not only do Doubting Thomases see the light-weight, but even the viewers are enlightened.

In fact, the recognition has been sparse. In the movie, here’s Rajkummar enjoying a character who is offered an award by Rao’s mentor Hansal Mehta, and he finds himself returning it. Nonetheless, it’s a surreal instant for Rao. No common awards can match this. Even though Rao largely does justice to his character, Srikanth’s vision, there are times wherever Rao lets slip the light-weight Telugu-accented Hindi. However, it is yet another inspiring effectiveness by Rao.

Rajkummar Rao and Jyotika

Bombay-born Jyotika, a distinguished determine in Telugu cinema, built a prosperous comeback to Hindi films this 12 months. Jeez, observing her initially in Shaitaan (2024) and now in Srikanth, it is tough to believe that that she was at any time away from Hindi cinema for extensive. Devika is a around god-like determine for Srikanth. If she hadn’t taken Srikanth below her wings, there wouldn’t be any Srikanth Bolla tale. The guru-shishya bond is deemed sacred in Indian culture. With no diverging from it, Hiranandani and his writers depict the Devika-Srikanth bond as one particular complete of have faith in, but it also has its banter. In just one this kind of scene, Srikanth and Devika the two cheekily declare credit rating for an thought. The last nameplate of their coaching centre reads ‘Sri-Devi.’

Sharad Kelkar

Even with his overwhelming temperament, Sharad Kelkar portrays sensitivity as Ravi, Srikanth’s best friend. Srikanth utilizes harsh words, Ravi while hardly ever loses his neat. As always, Kelkar provides a flawless effectiveness.

Alaya F and Rajkummar Rao

Alaya F has confined display screen time. She is relatively qualified, but the Swathi-Srikanth romance plays out in an tutorial fashion, with out delving into depth. We see a identical dynamic involving Rao and his on-screen parents. In the meantime, Gullak [web series] fame actor Jameel Khan gives a refreshing portrayal of the late president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Hiranandani adopted a much more organic and natural solution in narrating his preceding biographical performs. It would be erroneous to contact it a rushed screenplay, but with Srikanth [2024], he opts for a staccato-type narrative, which is maybe additional palatable to the desi flavor.

The playback tunes requires a back seat right here. The vintage Papa Kehte Hai track nevertheless never ever loses its cultural importance. The concentrate in this kind of a tale is on the human factor. So, 1 does not actually fork out notice to the generation layout or cinematography. On the other hand, there is 1 extended shot of a small village bus atop a little bridge that definitely stands out.

At just in excess of two several hours, Hiranandani and his writers do nicely to encapsulate the Srikanth Bolla tale and his concept. We reiterate, folks like Srikanth really don’t want our empathy, but equal prospects and regard. You really do not essentially have to aid the Srikanths cross the streets except if they are comfy with it. Having said that. we however need to have to pave the way for the tens of millions of Srikanths to accomplish their goals. The to start with adjust has to stem from a adjust in attitude. So, the next time your automobile stops in front of a pedestrian, in no way connect with him/her andha /andhi.

Srikanth [2024] is established to be unveiled in theaters on 10 May possibly.

Enjoy the online video review below.